And this week’s Spin of the Week award goes to … drum roll, drum roll … the Canary Island tourism board, Promotur. If you don’t know why, you probably weren’t concentrating yesterday because you are...
Read MoreDavid Miliband said yesterday that foreign governments, and opposition parties, found it odd in the extreme that Britain’s Conservatives were actively campaigning against Tony Blair becoming the first ‘President of...
Read MoreDoubtless a few polls will be kicking around this weekend, and after my message to Labour yesterday to guard against complacency in the face of the BNP, a warning to the Tories today. December 5, 1996, Gallup poll. Labour 59....
Read MoreI don’t suppose that the inside of Nick Griffin’s head is a great place to be, what with all that racism, homophobia, curiously selective history, and confusion over what he has or hasn’t said in the past. But...
Read MoreWith so much focus on Nick Griffin’s appearance on Question Time tonight, I thought visitors to the site might be interested in this piece from Margaret Hodge, Labour MP for Barking. It is a seat where the BNP has...
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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.