I don’t think I have ever attended an international summit that delivered a perfect outcome. It is the nature of Summitry, the land of compromise. It is also more likely that the more complicated the Summit structures, the...
Read MoreThere are so many grim headlines with bad numbers in them that this morning one which seemed to buck the trend leapt out at me from the Financial Times. It was not the biggest story on the page – that went to ‘MoD...
Read MoreAs visitors to our house will know, I have not one but six photos of Tiger Woods on the wall opposite the sofa in the kitchen extension where I do a lot of my work. I bought them from a specialist sports photography agency which...
Read MoreSo David Cameron says a Tory government will pass a new law to ensure all MPs and members of the House of Lords pay taxes in Britain. Two thoughts spring quickly to mind. The first is whether, given he keeps going on about...
Read MoreSince writing All In The Mind, making Cracking Up, and becoming Mind Champion of the Year, I’ve been approached by all manner of mental health organisations and today want to give a plug to one of them. Breakthrough do...
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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.