The editor of the Sunday Mail (no, not the Mail on Scumday, for which I would never write, but the Glasgow-based paper) was taken by my blog the other day suggesting David Cameron was Alex Salmond’s Trojan Horse in his...
Read MoreHad a very nice time interviewing Alistair McGowan for Radio 4’s Chain Reaction last night. Eddie Izzard’s interview with me goes out on Wednesday, so I assume the Ali(a)stairs’ chat goes out the week after. ...
Read MoreFor those of you who don’t get the New Statesman, here is the piece I have written for this week’s issue, on the media’s love-in with David Cameron. Have vlogged on similar subject. Accustomed though I am to...
Read MoreI was in Edinburgh yesterday, speaking at a communications conference, followed by a lunch and q and a, during which I was asked if people in England were aware of how the independence debate was unfolding, and whether they...
Read MoreBefore I get onto politics, well done to Eddie Izzard as he finishes his incredible run around the UK. For most runners, one marathon is a big enough challenge. By the end of today, Eddie will have done 43 in 52 days, all the...
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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.