I can’t help thinking that if Tony Blair or Gordon Brown were Prime Minister, there would by now have been a media and/or political outcry about their seeming lack of interest or involvement in the weather situation. You...
Read MoreThe papers are being briefed that the government is to perform a U-turn on the planned scrapping of School Sports Partnerships. This is to be announced as early as Monday. It is also to be placed in the category marked...
Read MorePapers wise I have only seen The Guardian and the Financial Times today and my eye was particularly drawn to three photos. One of Nick Clegg (FT). One of Julian Assange (Guardian). One of Barack Obama (FT). And they made me...
Read MoreA bit late to be blogging I know, but in the new media world there is no such thing as a deadline, no such thing as a geographical boundary, so in a way no such thing as late. Plus I have had one of those days … up early...
Read MoreThe Tories (ie the government) will be feeling pleased enough with the spin operation surrounding the cuts to local authorities. The media were buying enough ‘power to the people’ (sic) to dilute the real impact of...
Read More
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.