If I have mastered the technology correctly (said the nervous non cyberwarrior) then if you click on here you will see my debut in political art. Art and I never got on at school, possibly because we had an art-teacher who had a...
Read MoreSo … Prince Charles and Camilla will be rueing going to the theatre in black tie, with the car all lit up. Their security advisors will be going over how it happened and, as ever when it comes to the policing of protests,...
Read MoreI used to skimread Hansard every day when I was a journalist, and felt better informed as a result. As Tory MP Bill Cash once said, if you want to keep something a secret these days, stand up and say it in the House of Commons....
Read MoreOnce a newsworthy event becomes a full-blown media frenzy, there comes a point where separating fact from fantasy, comment from conspiracy, and hard information from spin becomes virtually impossible. That is the point we...
Read MoreWhen was the last time you saw David Cameron, George Osborne, Michael Gove or David Willetts being put under real pressure to make the case for the trebling of tuition fees? I ask because it is their policy every bit as much as...
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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.