A couple of weeks ago, a French magazine asked me to write a piece about the relationship between Presidents Obama and Sarkozy. We might like to think that politics and diplomacy is all about issues, policies, ideals, and there...
Read MoreUntil yesterday, I had never heard of Professor Jerry Morris. Yet a fascinating obituary in The Times made me wish I had. Maybe it is because I am now on the back nine of life, as over 50s golfers call it, that I read obituaries...
Read MoreCan’t wait to see what prominence the Dave C fanzines give to the views of Mr Stephen Greenhalgh in the morning press. This is the man who suggested that the inexperience of the current shadow cabinet is so serious that...
Read MoreFirst of all, congratulations to BBC Inside Sport for its film last night on depression in sport. Gabby Logan’s sensitive and revealing interviews with cricketer Marcus Trescothick, boxer Frank Bruno, footballer Neil...
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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.