Sometimes it is the little things that signal the kind of big change Britain will undergo if we get a Tory government. When I say little, I mean not the driving issues of the economy and the future of schools and hospitals...
Read MoreGeorgia Gould, a young Labour activist who sought to be a Labour candidate in Erith and Thamesmead, is standing for the party in Camden council elections. After hearing some of her stories about the way the Tories and the Lib...
Read MoreI’m a bit confused about Tory tactics (as opposed to their non-existent or at least ever-changing strategy). This morning the Tory talk was of a collapsing Labour vote which meant that they could extend their list of...
Read MoreI wonder if Nick Clegg is not beginning to over-reach himself in stepping up the kind of demands he would make in support of either a Tory or Labour Prime Minister. It is of course in his interests to keep the focus as much on...
Read MoreIf ever anything showed the Tory and Lib Dem fear of having a serious debate on substance it is the outcome of three-party discussions about a joint plea to broadcasters to do more policy and less process. As of last night,...
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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.