But What Can I Do?: Why Politics Has Gone So Wrong, and How You Can Help Fix It

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What I would have liked to see is some more critique and roadmap of how the routes into politics and social change could change.

ei midagi revolutsioonilist - ikka seesama, et astu erakonda ja osale kampaaniates ja kandideeri valimistel kohalikku omavalitsusse ja äkki, kui veab, jõuad kunagi parlamentigi, aga kui ei jõua või taha, pole hullu, kogu poliitika ongi tegelikult kohalik.In May 2019, he announced that he and his daughter Grace, a comedian and feminist, had launched a joint podcast, Football, Feminism and Everything In Between: a series of interviews with figures from politics, sport and other walks of life. Campbell was born on 25 May 1957 in Keighley, West Riding of Yorkshire, son of Scottish veterinary surgeon Donald Campbell and his wife Elizabeth.

His structure reminded me of one of my top reads of recent years, The Climate Book, by Greta Thunberg: analyse the problem, then help the reader to become engaged as an activist. At the opening of the edition, presenter David Dimbleby said that the new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition would not allow a frontbench member of the government to appear on the show unless Campbell was dropped.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 Rory Stewart. Whilst Campbell is a bit too optimistic about the changes which are possible in politics, in my opinion, he also provides with this book a handbook on how to bring such changes about, and in theory, if all young people read this book we might get much closer to achieving that positive vision of politics and society. Campbell wrote the speech that led to the party's review of Clause IV and the birth of "New Labour". He created a Strategic Communications Unit which gave Downing Street the power to co-ordinate all government activity, using what became known as "the grid" as its main apparatus. It's no surprise that so many of us feel frustrated, let down and drawn to ask, ' But what can I do?

I suspect that for many people who want to by this book, the first few chapters will be simply telling them things they already know. He also dedicates several chapters to the skills required to be an effective changemaker and offers a hopeful outlook that these skills can be developed to ensure that anyone with a passion for making change can have an impact. In July 2017, he was invited to speak at the French National Assembly to the newly elected MPs of President Emmanuel Macron's victorious En Marche party. Campbell worked again for the Labour Party as Campaign Director in the run-up to their third consecutive victory at the 2005 general election. But this wasn't made clear to me, a jaded older reader, so that I was deep into the book before I started thinking, 'Great.

Similarly, he presents useful tips for communication and mental preparation to work on campaigns and speak in public. In 2003 and 2004, he wrote a series for The Times newspapers, analysing greatness in sport to answer the question "Who is the greatest sports star of all time?

We have witnessed leaders who can't - or shouldn't be allowed to - lead, policies that are either self-serving or don't work, and world views that are corrosive or short term. I even landed a new political job while in the midst of reading this book, which certainly sourced some of my courage to take it over another opportunity. He draws on his experiences working with political leaders and discusses the opportunities and challenges faced by those in positions of influence. I admit a little smugness at the passage where Mr Campbell lamented how the huge number of people protesting against Brexit were ignored .Impassioned plea for better politicians with a practical guide to getting your message across effectively. However, towards the end of their work, they concede young individuals are the most intellectually engaged and privately motivated to change the world. Caught in the no man’s land between being a key figure in Downing Street and the relative anonymity of the world outside politics, Alastair Campbell finds himself being torn in several directions. I was very amused when at the end he thanks his editor, as there was no sign beforehand that any such person existed, or at least had any influence. But I at least know the issues I care about and appreciate that small steps toward change can make a difference.