Despite having more money than they know what to do with, the Tories’ broadcasts have been dreadful. Despite having next to no money, Labour’s have been terrific, for which thanks to Mark Lucas at Silverfish (I can...
Read MoreHaving seen the very warm reaction Nick Clegg got from his speech to the Citizens UK conference in Westminster Hall, I was a bit worried GB might not quite match the performance or the response. Oh me of little faith. That was...
Read MoreSo today’s polls have the Tories at 33 and 34 per cent. This after a final debate which, thanks to skewed polls, the media gave (spuriously) to David Cameron; after the biggest poster campaign in modern electoral history;...
Read MoreGosh, David Cameron must have reeled his way out of the BBC studio after that mauling from Andrew Marr. That final question – tough or what? Hey, we can read the body language, said Marr … ‘you’re on a...
Read MoreI am a bit confused about Nick Clegg. In his favourite paper, The Guardian, he cites Samuel Beckett as his hero. In another, The Telegraph, WB Yeats is named as his favourite poet. Beckett may be best known as a playwright, but...
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.