I would normally wait a few days before posting a New European column, but an editing malfunction means those who have got the print version – which despite this malfunction I strongly recommend because of all the other...
Read MoreI am well aware I live in LME land – indeed perhaps the NW3 postcode could hardly be more Liberal Metropolitan Elite if it tried. I am also aware that I wear my anti-Brexit views loudly, so most of the people I bump into...
Read MoreLast night I was at The Guildhall to do the after dinner turn at the Franco-British Young Leaders’ gathering, which brings together rising stars in politics, business, the military, media and academia. It is a joint...
Read MoreIt seemed like such a good idea at the time, didn’t it, to call an election with the anti-Brexit backlash seemingly weakening, Labour languishing in the polls, Theresa May’s ratings high, and the right wing media...
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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.