Is it really five years since David Cameron became leader? So it would seem. The Independent asked me for a brief judgement on those five years, which is included below among a group of people asked the same question. Other...
Read MoreHere is the piece I have done for today’s Daily Telegraph on the fallout from the Fifa decision to hand the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar. The Telegraph headline is ‘If Fifa were a country, it would be...
Read MoreFirst, re the World Cup location announcements, part of you wants to say these are visionary decisions which will help two important countries build a more modern and relevant global identity, and provide two great festivals of...
Read MoreGreetings from Bari, in southern Italy, where I’ve just had a run in rather pleasant sunshine with a lovely warm breeze blowing in from the sea. Sorry to those freezing at home, but someone has to do it. I am here to speak...
Read MoreTo Belfast last night to speak at the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce President’s dinner. Cold outside, like everywhere else in the country. Lots of worries about the Irish economic crisis, as everywhere else in...
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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.