As politicians here await the next blow from a newspaper driving the agenda over their expenses, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is involved in his own media scrap. The Continental press tends to be much less intrusive...
Read MoreMany thanks for all the kind messages last night after Mind announced (on Twitter) that I was the mental health charity’s Champion of the Year. Judging by the sheer volume of messages on Facebook, I think Jane...
Read MoreIt will be very hard for the parties to get much attention for their election broadcasts amid the ongoing expenses fiasco. Which is a pity, because I have had a sneak preview of Labour’s tonight, and it is very nice...
Read More(… and if you read to the end, you might win something) So come on, be honest, how many of you have changed your charitable giving habits since the recession began? Judging by the waves of people rushing past the...
Read MoreI’m not saying the expenses row is trivial. It is not. Some of the revelations have been genuinely shocking. But there is something else going on in Westminster that requires a little more attention than it is getting....
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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.