Tomorrow I am speaking at a dinner at Nottingham University to raise funds for Mental Health Research UK. Now you’ve heard of Cancer Research. You’ve heard of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, and if you are very...
Read MoreThankfully, my Saturday evening tweet referring to the ‘murder’ of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was premature. However, the sentiment of hope that Saturday’s shootings might lead to a calming of the...
Read MoreI fear even more literals than yesterday as today it is my desktop that is giving me Internet accesss grief so I am using the iPad again, complete with tippytappy touch typing on slidey screen, and inability to read over when...
Read MoreA fairly common attribute in those who believe they were born to rule is a rather petulant irritation whenever anyone dares to challenge them, or asks them questions they don’t like. David Cameron has that streak in him...
Read MoreLonger than usual blog today, most of it not written by me. You’ll have to wait a bit for the point, but with thanks to the Labour Party’s media monitoring department, I want to begin with an account of what appeared...
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by
"Your country needs you. Your world needs you. Your time is now."
Our politics is a mess. We have leaders who can't or shouldn't be allowed to lead. We endure governments that lie, and seek to undermine our democratic values. And we are confronted with policies that serve the interests of the privileged few. It's no surprise that so many of us feel frustrated, let down and drawn to ask, 'But what can I do?' That question is the inspiration behind this book. It's a question regularly posed to Alastair Campbell, not least in reaction to The Rest is Politics, the chart-topping podcast he presents with former Tory Cabinet minister Rory Stewart. His answer, typically, is forthright and impassioned. We cannot afford to stand on the sidelines. If we think things need to change, then we need to change them, and that means getting involved. But What Can I Do? provides each of us with the motivation and the tools to make a difference. Opening with an acute analysis of our polarised world and the populists and extremists who have shaped it, it goes on to show how we help transform it. It explains how we can develop our skills of advocacy and persuasion. It draws on Alastair’s long experience, as well as on role models and lessons from history, to offer practical tips on starting and leading a campaign. It offers advice on developing confidence and coping with criticism and setbacks. And it sets out the practical steps by which we can become political players ourselves. Part call to arms, part practical handbook, But What Can I Do? will prove required reading for anyone who wants to help change things for the better.