Something for the weekend - a long lazy blog lifted from interviews

2009-11-20 12:35:23

This must be one of the longest, and certainly the laziest, blog I have ever done. Just a bit busy you see.

I was doing a speech to sports governing bodies in The Midlands yesterday, so took the opportunity to visit my Mum, stayed over, raced back this morning for a meeting then a dental appointment (soon, so am petrified, see below), then a lunch, a couple of meetings, a couple of articles, a few calls, and I don't really have time to do a proper blog.

So instead I have cut and pasted a couple of interviews I've done recenly. The first is for a new website, Chic Londres, which is aimed at French people living in the UK (and funnily enough another thing on my agenda today is writing a piece for a French magazine about Sarkozy, in which I intend to refer to his election campaign visit to London)

And below that, totally randomly you might think, is a piece from Kyodo News about my take on the new Japanese government. I told you I was dead big in Japan.

I have also tried to cut and paste the piece in yesterday's Independent when I talked about my education (plugging my role as strategist for the Npower Climate Cops contest to find the best young environmental campaigners). But I am having trouble with my buttons and I'm worried I am about to wipe out this already long and lazy blog if I persevere with my pathetic cutting and pasting efforts.

Meanwhile, still feel angry at Thierry Henry. The new holder of the record for group sex, having single-handedly fucked an entire nation. Sorry, I don't usually swear, as Malcolm Tucker would confirm.

Anywhere, here goes with this new form of lazyblog.

Here is Chic Londres

Once described as "the dark soul of Tony Blair" and "the real Prime minister" (surely some mistake - AC) -as his influence on the government was deemed to be so powerful- Alastair Campbell (52) appears nowadays in much more relaxed form than during his Downing Street years. The former Spin Doctor in chief, who has turned to writing and fundraising for research into leukaemia, talks candidly about his career change, his old demons and his fear of dentists.

How did you decide to become a novelist?

I was cycling one day when I saw an enormous crowd attending a funeral, which gave me the concept for the novel. Also at the time, I was seeing a psychiatrist and was thinking a lot about depression and addiction, which also contributed to the creation of my characters. When I arrived home, I had already created in my mind two of the characters and the ending. I went straight to my computer and started writing. I wrote the novel quite quickly, in about six months, and didn't tell anything to anyone, including my family, until it was finished.

You have been a journalist, a spin doctor and you are now a novelist: which job is the most difficult and which is the most fulfilling?

Being a journalist was the easiest of the three and being a spin doctor was both the most fulfilling and the most difficult job. It was tough and challenging but gratifying because I was part of a team which not only changed the country, but I believe changed it for the better. It is also very gratifying, though not as difficult, to write a novel, because you get to start something from scratch, created entirely from your imagination. Also, I was recently contacted by someone on Facebook, who told me that reading my book completely changed his view on mental illness, which was hugely rewarding for me.

The novel has been described as semi-autobiographical. How much of yourself have you put in the characters and is there one in particular you most identify with?

Several aspects of the characters are inspired from my own experiences. I suffer from depression, like most of them, and did myself some of the therapies I describe in the book. At times, I identified with the psychiatrist: when I was in politics, I was at the centre of the action, so -like him- I often had to guess what people were thinking. I also had a nervous breakdown, so I know how it feels to crack up, and this part of the novel is inspired from my own experience. The MP is an alcoholic, like I was. The way David feels and describes depression in the book is very much like mine, although unlike him, I was lucky enough to be able to do things with my life and not to be paralysed by my illness.

The novel shows a very sensitive side of your character, in sharp contrast to your public persona in politics: how did you manage to handle being vilified so much?

I believe you can be both very tough and very vulnerable at the same time. During my ten years with Tony Blair, I sometimes felt depressed, but always managed to isolate my personal state of mind from my job. But when I quit Number 10, I must say that it was very tough, as I suddenly had a lot of time to think and felt very depressed again. I was very active and kept myself very busy, but I felt I had no purpose and nothing I did seemed very gratifying. The book really helped me in that regard, in the sense that I realised it wasn't a problem anymore not to know exactly what I was going to do with my life, and that for the first time, I had the freedom to do whatever I wanted. The things I miss are also the things I don't miss: I miss having a sole mission, but I don't miss the constant pressure and the fact that I always had to leave choices to others. As for being vilified, it didn't really affect me or my kids, but it was tough for my mother. What I hated though was when I did a briefing, but that the journalists chose instead to talk about me rather than the policy.

What has been your most memorable moment at Downing Street?

The best moment, without a doubt, was the day of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. But when I look back at those ten years, I don't really think about good or bad times, more about the fact that we have achieved something that was very difficult.

For someone who has been used to being constantly surrounded by people, doesn't it feel lonely to be a novelist?

I sometimes feel a bit lonely, but I am fine most of the time. I don't mind my own company and can easily stay at my computer writing for eight hours straight. That said, I do like being part of a team, so enjoy meeting with my publisher and my agent.

What is your next move?

I am writing another novel, which is about the friendship between a famous actress and her best friend. I am working on the third draft so am almost finished now. (It is actually finished now. It is called Maya, the name of the film star - AC) I would really like to turn the novels into films, and maybe write the scripts myself. But I also want to do different things in my life, and don't really have a career plan anymore.

Can you tell us something we don't know about yourself?

I am terrified of dentists and injections. Not long ago, I was at the hospital and when I saw the nurse approaching with the needle, I fainted.

All in the Mind (Hutchinson) is published in french under the title Tout est dans la tête (Albin Michel)

Alastair Campbell in Dates:

• 25 May 1957: Born in Yorkshire, one of four children of Scottish veterinary surgeon Donald Campbell and his wife, Elizabeth.
• 1979: Graduates from Cambridge University with a degree in modern languages. Spends a year in France as a university assistant and writes pornographic stories for magazine Forum.
• 1982-1994: Moves to London to work as a journalist and then as political editor for The Daily Mirror and Today.
• 1986: Hospitalized after a nervous breakdown triggered by alcoholism and stress.
• 1987: Birth of the first of his three children (now aged 21, 19 and 14) from partner Fiona Millar.
• 1994: Becomes Tony Blair's press secretary when the latter is elected leader of the Labour Party.
• 1997: Nominated Prime Minister's Chief Press Secretary and Official Spokesman by Tony Blair after the Labour Party's victory.
• 2001: Nominated Director of Communication and Strategy by Tony Blair.
• 2003: Resigns during the Hutton inquiry (which eventually clears him in relation to the suicide of Professor David Kelly).
• 2003-2007: Volunteers as chairman of fundraising for Leukemia Research, writes articles on sports for The Times.
• 2007: Publishes The Blair Years (Random House), part of his diaries at Downing Street from 1994 to 2003, which becomes an instant bestseller.
• 2008: Publishes his first novel All in the Mind (Hutchinson) and broadcasts Cracking Up, a documentary on BBC2 on his nervous breakdown in 1986.
• April 2009: All in the Mind Translated in French (Tout est dans la Tête).

• And here is the one from KYODO NEWS

• FOCUS: Hatoyama gov't makes encouraging start, says ex-Blair media chief

  by  William Hollingworth

  The new Japanese government has improved the way it communicates with the public and is starting to stand up to the once all-powerful bureaucracy, according to the man who once served as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's media chief and who gave advice to the ruling Democratic Party of Japan on strategy before the general election.
  Alastair Campbell says he ''senses'' the new DPJ-led government is delivering clearer messages to voters and can see the government is employing some of the techniques and structures that were used by the former British prime minister when his center-left Labour party came into office in 1997.
  Before taking the reins of power in mid-September, the DPJ was keen to look at how other parties made the transition into government, particularly after a long spell in opposition. The Liberal Democratic Party had ruled Japan for over half a century.
  DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa met Campbell and other Labour officials to see how they made their mark in government.
  Campbell, who acted as Blair's chief spokesman and media strategist between 1994 and 2003, told Kyodo News that Ozawa and his team were particularly interested in how to deal with the civil service.
  Critics have argued that Japanese public officials have wielded too much influence over policy formulation with ministers effectively rubber-stamping what has been decided by bureaucrats, individual lawmakers and various vested interests.
  Campbell explained, ''I said that in my experience the civil service machine responded well to clear leadership.
  ''I emphasized that any new government has a period when interest in, and support for it, is at its height, and it is vital to use that time well.
  ''I emphasized the need to win external and internal support for change. My impression is that the Japanese civil service is more driven by its own agenda than ours, so it is doubly important the public understands the nature of the changes proposed and the reasons.''
  Campbell said Ozawa was ''very well informed'' about the structural changes Blair had made to government, ''in particular the strengthening of the center.''
  And Blair's former adviser can see aspects of this being replicated in Japan, despite the very different political cultures.
  Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has sought to end the influence of individual lawmakers and bureaucrats in policymaking and instead promoted the Cabinet as the main policy-formulating body.
  The new government has developed a series of Cabinet committees to help policy formulation - a mechanism imported from Britain. The new National Policy Unit, headed by Naoto Kan, deputy prime minister, is also designed to bolster the center by creating ''national visions.''
  Campbell said, ''They wanted a detailed analysis of how we made those (structural) changes (to strengthen the center) and what effect we felt they had. I briefed them on our meetings structures, forward planning functions, liaison within the government and also some of the structures we set up during major international crises.''
  The DPJ has also taken a close look at how Labour presented its case to the electorate in the election manifesto. In 1997, Labour produced an eye-catching card for voters which listed five specific pledges designed to counter the impression that politicians are all hot air.
  And this summer, the DPJ paid great importance to its manifesto with a series of pledges.
  Campbell, who has published ''The Blair Years,'' said, ''The impression I gained was of people with a clear agenda for change but who knew that sometimes promising change is easier than making it happen.
  ''But I also sensed a real determination. I suppose if there was a single message I sought to impart it was the importance of clarity of objective, toughness of strategy and the necessity of clear leadership and teamwork.''
  Now that the DPJ is in office, Campbell ''senses'' an attempt by the government to be more ''strategic in communications'' and to give ''sharper and clearer messages.''
  He believes the new government will need to constantly explain to the electorate the changes that are being made and why.
  Christopher Hood, an expert in Japanese studies at Cardiff University, agrees the DPJ has taken a leaf out of Labour's book, in terms of communicating clear pledges to voters.
  He said, ''The DPJ seems to be getting sharper at this. This has been a general weakness in Japanese politics in the past so I would say it's a refreshing change.
  ''Having said that, I think the DPJ will find and, in relation to dams for example, may already be finding, that sometimes reality steps in and they have to rethink pledges.''
  The DPJ's policy of suspending and reviewing the construction of new dams across the country has been deeply unpopular in some municipalities.
  Hood is unsure to what extent British practices can be introduced into Japan given the different political cultures and the long tradition of an all-powerful bureaucracy.
  ''I think the shift to reduce the influence of the bureaucrats will be an interesting one. If only Japan had a version of 'Yes Minister' and 'Yes Prime Minister' to watch!''
  These BBC comedy programs showed how powerful civil servants were in comparison to their hapless political masters.
  Kyodo

And if you got to the end of all that ... you need to get out more. Have a good weekend

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Publish date: 2009-12-08 15:30:58

Copenhagen really matters. Guardian front page sets scene well

Publish date: 2009-12-07 10:26:33

Four years on, what do we think of Cameron's leadership?

Publish date: 2009-12-06 13:55:17

Boris and Waddles, an everyday tale of Tory croneyism

Publish date: 2009-12-05 09:53:35

The Speaker's wife is a credit to him, and spot on about Cameron's Toryism

Publish date: 2009-12-04 10:52:37

PMQs win for GB was a direct result of Cameron's strategic failure

Publish date: 2009-12-03 08:21:10

Cameron's conkers add to his problem with serious opinion

Publish date: 2009-12-02 10:59:45

Sarko at risk of riling Obama and GB. Cameron on conkers

Publish date: 2009-12-01 10:29:48

The life and death of the man who made the link between exercise and health

Publish date: 2009-11-28 11:37:29

Even top Tories think Dave and Co can't do piss up in a brewery

Publish date: 2009-11-27 20:51:29

Well done BBC Inside Sport. Shame on media for news blackout on Coulson bullying case

Publish date: 2009-11-26 13:59:57

Well done BBC in Mental Health Media awards. Looking forward to Inside Sport on depression tonight

Publish date: 2009-11-25 10:26:22

BBC main bulletin blackout on leaders' speeches bizarre

Publish date: 2009-11-24 10:17:48

Business right to be worried about Tory axe on RDAs

Publish date: 2009-11-23 10:17:12

Why should Brown and Cameron apologise for being seen to pay tribute to the war dead?

Publish date: 2009-11-22 11:12:38

Beware climate change denial dressed up as 'commonsense'

Publish date: 2009-11-21 12:54:27

If France and FIFA won't act on Thierry Henry, let's have a boycott of Gillette razors

Publish date: 2009-11-19 10:09:00

Never in the history of human taxation has so much been promised from so many to so few

Publish date: 2009-11-18 18:32:39

Tories far from 'effete and unfamiliar' when it comes to twisted tax priorities

Publish date: 2009-11-18 09:52:12

Two very different stories of depression

Publish date: 2009-11-17 17:17:11

Congrats to Ellie on PPB campaign, and Willy Hague on getting van Rompuy

Publish date: 2009-11-17 11:40:14

Private schools worse than State schools - unless it's drugs you're after. Discuss

Publish date: 2009-11-16 12:10:25

Fiona Millar 5 Toby Young 0

Publish date: 2009-11-15 13:18:38

Where we fight we win

Publish date: 2009-11-13 11:22:00

Good luck to Number 10 on 'lobby' review. And a big NO to the other PR

Publish date: 2009-11-12 14:39:11

Robert Enke RIP. May his death increase understanding of depression

Publish date: 2009-11-11 17:59:53

On the exploitation of grief to get Gordon

Publish date: 2009-11-11 08:59:01

Why Tories are not home and dry, and wrong to call GB callous

Publish date: 2009-11-10 13:00:20

Labour needs more of the winning mentality

Publish date: 2009-11-09 10:30:44

The scandal of friendship and the shame of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

Publish date: 2009-11-07 10:53:53

US clarity of strategy required for full explanation on Afghanistan

Publish date: 2009-11-06 10:31:48

Just because he is French doesn't mean he's wrong

Publish date: 2009-11-05 10:58:46

Congratulations to David Cameron and Trevor Kavanagh

Publish date: 2009-11-04 10:34:36

Is there a Sun blackout on Cameron's dumping of 'cast iron guarantee' on Europe?

Publish date: 2009-11-03 20:37:04

Johnson seems to get it on immigration. Right on advisors advising too

Publish date: 2009-11-03 11:58:59

Public opinion on climate change - the public might be the problem

Publish date: 2009-11-02 11:37:23

In praise of Stephen Fry, who should tweet or not as he sees fit

Publish date: 2009-11-01 09:29:34

John Sergeant spot on re TB. TB's Olympics legacy. Liam Gallagher's generosity

Publish date: 2009-10-30 11:50:44

Conservative contortions on Europe and Blair

Publish date: 2009-10-29 11:44:12

Two-jobs Osborne suffering credibility deficit

Publish date: 2009-10-28 09:14:22

Canaries win AC spin award with dark nights productivity survey

Publish date: 2009-10-27 09:41:48

Blair - dead big in Japan!

Publish date: 2009-10-26 17:21:17

No complacency, variants on a theme

Publish date: 2009-10-24 09:48:46

Griffin may have been dreadful, but there can be no complacency

Publish date: 2009-10-23 11:57:29

Margaret Hodge MP on how to fight the BNP

Publish date: 2009-10-22 16:48:39

Thanks to Charlie Falconer and Dominic Grieve - yes, I know he is a Tory

Publish date: 2009-10-21 17:24:18

On Biscuitgate, barmy Tory policy, and BNP v Generals

Publish date: 2009-10-21 10:36:15

More on Obergruppenfuhrer Dacre, Biscuitgate and Bullingdon Conservatism

Publish date: 2009-10-20 12:16:37

Biscuitgate and Susan Boyle, no win territory for GB

Publish date: 2009-10-19 12:31:00

Hating the Mail - a mindset worth having

Publish date: 2009-10-17 11:28:12

A line by line guide to the Mail statement on Gately article outrage

Publish date: 2009-10-16 19:12:36

Hit the Mail where it hurts

Publish date: 2009-10-16 16:36:02

Talking Cameron and Obama with US Democrats. Progressive Convervatism? No, he can't

Publish date: 2009-10-16 10:02:40

Inspired by kids' green passion

Publish date: 2009-10-14 18:24:13

Good news on leukaemia, good news on student activism

Publish date: 2009-10-13 08:24:21

Musings from Bertie Ahern, and how I won the Nobel prize for literature

Publish date: 2009-10-12 09:26:18

Continuing double standards in the media

Publish date: 2009-10-11 11:36:21

The best policies in Cameron's speech were those of Labour Big Government

Publish date: 2009-10-08 17:07:40

Tongues slipping all over the place

Publish date: 2009-10-08 09:00:07

Cameron confuses strategy and tactics and puts Union at risk

Publish date: 2009-10-07 10:29:26

Osborne inspires apathy at BBC Leeds

Publish date: 2009-10-06 16:01:59

Let's see more of the Tory candidates please

Publish date: 2009-10-06 09:23:11

Labour needs to fight on record to stop Tory vandalism

Publish date: 2009-10-05 14:28:40

VacuDave goes all peevish at difficult questions. Bring on the debates

Publish date: 2009-10-04 23:33:52

Lots of joking around in Jersey, though nothing as hysterical as Dave's Europe position

Publish date: 2009-10-03 10:31:22

On The Sun, Obama in Copenhagen and Alistair McGowan on the loo

Publish date: 2009-10-01 10:59:49

Sun switches ain't wot they used to be

Publish date: 2009-09-30 10:17:14

Darling and Mandelson show what I mean by authenticity

Publish date: 2009-09-28 16:28:18

Serious Politics 1 Low Journalism 0

Publish date: 2009-09-27 11:55:54

Media's love for Cameron should be turned into a weakness

Publish date: 2009-09-26 10:30:03

Time for ministers to stand up and fight

Publish date: 2009-09-25 09:40:26

Today's media double standards watch

Publish date: 2009-09-24 09:29:45

Breaking News - GB wins award, Lib Dems face all ways

Publish date: 2009-09-23 09:43:49

Why authenticity is the key to comms, and why Merkel will win

Publish date: 2009-09-22 08:29:13

Why I love NHS walk-in centres

Publish date: 2009-09-21 12:13:03

Here goes with the smoked Salmond

Publish date: 2009-09-20 10:40:21

Breaking News - Cameron's vacuousness an impersonator's nightmare

Publish date: 2009-09-19 11:06:09

Cameron has an army of spin doctors - aka journalists

Publish date: 2009-09-18 10:07:06

On Scottish independence, Cameron's short-termism, and Jimmy Carter being right

Publish date: 2009-09-17 09:56:56

Is Cameron Alex Salmond's Trojan Horse?

Publish date: 2009-09-15 10:13:42

On the TUC, Roy of the Rovers and Anna Wintour

Publish date: 2009-09-14 11:04:46

Memo to Apple boss Steve Jobs

Publish date: 2009-09-13 17:36:31

A day in the life of a (crap) City trader

Publish date: 2009-09-11 17:52:25

Defend record with pride, attack Tories with gusto

Publish date: 2009-09-10 11:06:36

Cameron's Conservatism beyond parody

Publish date: 2009-09-09 10:38:00

On transforned cities, and tales of Princess Di and Laura Bush

Publish date: 2009-09-08 09:45:54

Labour should put minister up against Griffin on Question Time

Publish date: 2009-09-06 12:39:56

School speech the latest source of right-wing frothing at Obama

Publish date: 2009-09-05 08:23:02

More horse's mouth, less Beeb blah please

Publish date: 2009-09-04 22:49:20

Real respect for sport can be Olympic legacy

Publish date: 2009-09-04 09:27:34

First ladies watch out for Japanese bombshell

Publish date: 2009-09-03 10:47:19

TV debate - good idea in theory, but ...

Publish date: 2009-09-02 15:37:43

'No worries' - the new response to thanks

Publish date: 2009-09-01 12:25:19

Tremors of Japanese political earthquake will be felt far and wide

Publish date: 2009-08-30 15:50:54

Pressure on Ed Miliband can help get a climate change deal

Publish date: 2009-08-28 13:39:08

Why Tories and media cannot stomach GCSE success story

Publish date: 2009-08-27 16:03:34

Exposing the absurdity of Chris Grayling

Publish date: 2009-08-26 13:20:19

Joy and beauty and a night of magic

Publish date: 2009-08-20 10:55:11

Twitter NHS backlash good for Obama

Publish date: 2009-08-14 15:44:49

A lifetime's ambition fulfilled

Publish date: 2009-08-08 16:59:02

Breaking the blog-a-day spell as warm up to holiday

Publish date: 2009-07-20 17:44:49

No hiding place from Twitter, me on the bike, JP in DC

Publish date: 2009-07-17 18:17:09

At last - something Obama cannot do well

Publish date: 2009-07-16 10:05:47

Will MPs take the lead in the debate on euthanasia?

Publish date: 2009-07-15 12:30:01

Berlin brothel leads the way to a greener world

Publish date: 2009-07-14 10:57:25

A time for GB to explain the whole picture

Publish date: 2009-07-13 12:37:54

All hail Monty, Jimmy and Collie!

Publish date: 2009-07-12 20:06:36

First triathlon of the summer for me, education award for Fiona

Publish date: 2009-07-12 09:43:06

Of Burnley's friendly and Obama's wandering eye

Publish date: 2009-07-11 12:38:52

Two great early morning moments

Publish date: 2009-07-10 10:27:07

Cameron had better be sure he's right

Publish date: 2009-07-09 11:06:22

Guardian scoop has big questions for press, cops and Cameron

Publish date: 2009-07-08 20:40:54

Divisive legend: Lance Armstrong

Publish date: 2009-07-07 10:38:23

First hug a hoodie, now grab a gay

Publish date: 2009-07-06 12:57:09

Mail on Scumday's wonderful account of Lansley's kipperdom

Publish date: 2009-07-05 13:14:51

Ecclestone undermines his own success with alarming views on Hitler

Publish date: 2009-07-04 14:04:04

When the conmen move more quickly than the council

Publish date: 2009-07-03 10:19:52

Andrew Lansley done up like a kipper

Publish date: 2009-07-02 10:10:52

A day spent interviewing footballers, then being interviewed by a transvestite comedian

Publish date: 2009-07-01 14:47:40

When the power of black eyes fades

Publish date: 2009-06-30 09:24:59

Farewell to Henry Hodge

Publish date: 2009-06-29 20:41:12

Honouring the power of sport to do good

Publish date: 2009-06-29 14:49:42

Andy Murray is a winner. Is that why some Brits don't like him?

Publish date: 2009-06-28 09:19:20

New Parliament will look very different. The younger the better

Publish date: 2009-06-27 17:34:26

Two nice surprises, sad end to day

Publish date: 2009-06-26 09:16:33

Apology from the Spectator on Iraq boosts Henry Hodge fund

Publish date: 2009-06-25 19:57:26

Thanks to Mr Harper on mental health, rebuttal of Mr Hague on Iraq

Publish date: 2009-06-24 23:47:54

Glad to find Eric Cantona in a quiet cinema ...

Publish date: 2009-06-24 00:46:23

By Dave's friends shall we know him?

Publish date: 2009-06-23 11:30:20

The Speaker has to balance tradition and change - but defend Parliament

Publish date: 2009-06-22 11:58:44

Less a blog than an apology for not having done one

Publish date: 2009-06-21 20:07:43

The day Lions skipper Paul O'Connell took my trousers down

Publish date: 2009-06-20 11:48:28

On the Iraq inquiry, Independent article wrong

Publish date: 2009-06-19 20:28:24

Thank you to three readers, now please get involved

Publish date: 2009-06-19 09:13:35

A tribute to a lovely man

Publish date: 2009-06-18 17:19:40

Bad times in Belfast, great day for Burnley, odd statement from Ed Balls

Publish date: 2009-06-18 10:04:47

A plea for five-figure cyber-donations

Publish date: 2009-06-17 07:40:42

On two inquiries

Publish date: 2009-06-16 08:57:39

From India to Iran to Labour wit

Publish date: 2009-06-15 10:13:17

Memories of Princess Diana

Publish date: 2009-06-14 09:54:55

A House Divided?

Publish date: 2009-06-13 02:53:47

A humbling NHS experience, a media row and a good GB speech

Publish date: 2009-06-12 10:48:46

Psychiatrists heading for relegation in 'disease prestige' league table

Publish date: 2009-06-11 10:25:35

The shrinks await

Publish date: 2009-06-10 09:44:16

As Obama fights for healthcare, let's celebrate the record here

Publish date: 2009-06-09 12:52:55

Anger at BNP seats must be turned into activism

Publish date: 2009-06-08 14:11:10

Can today be as frenzied as Friday?

Publish date: 2009-06-07 10:31:04

Take heart from a win in Lambeth

Publish date: 2009-06-06 18:46:40

JP is right there was no proper campaign but Tories still weak

Publish date: 2009-06-05 13:47:20

Do we care more about the NHS or moats?

Publish date: 2009-06-04 00:21:23

Guardian of social justice or attention-seeker?

Publish date: 2009-06-03 10:19:33

Who says Britain can't deliver the best?

Publish date: 2009-06-02 08:08:38

Mainstream has a duty to vote against BNP

Publish date: 2009-06-01 11:03:29

Let Diversity inspire a vote against the hate-filled BNP

Publish date: 2009-05-31 12:24:20

White House whack at UK media well-timed but sure to be ignored

Publish date: 2009-05-30 13:41:00

Elvis has a plan to make MPs King again

Publish date: 2009-05-29 12:09:44

At least there's a campaign on in Italy

Publish date: 2009-05-28 09:04:32

A blow to gay rights and a boost for Cameron's short-termism

Publish date: 2009-05-27 11:27:41

It's my blog and I'll be a big kid if I want to

Publish date: 2009-05-26 23:25:58

Highs feel better after so many lows

Publish date: 2009-05-26 10:13:12

Only one present counts

Publish date: 2009-05-25 11:05:46

Contrast Cheney and Bush

Publish date: 2009-05-24 12:11:45

Sex (or at least the female form) obsessed Britain

Publish date: 2009-05-23 20:49:57

Sport at both ends of the financial spectrum

Publish date: 2009-05-23 09:57:23

Stronger together - whether Scotland or expenses

Publish date: 2009-05-22 10:22:36

Back to Number 10, familiar faces, familiar arguments

Publish date: 2009-05-21 10:14:34

Speaking up for Parliament

Publish date: 2009-05-20 11:44:17

Peace in the Middle East - yes he can

Publish date: 2009-05-19 09:37:35

Breaking news - one frenzy at a time

Publish date: 2009-05-18 10:34:30

Getting a good look at Vince Cable

Publish date: 2009-05-17 09:36:55

How do you solve a problem like Silvio?

Publish date: 2009-05-16 09:32:21

It was the internet wot won it

Publish date: 2009-05-15 10:04:57

There now follows ... a good whack at Cameron

Publish date: 2009-05-14 17:21:28

They got their kit off - so you get your cash out

Publish date: 2009-05-14 07:41:11

Expenses row must not obscure Tory intentions on minimum wage

Publish date: 2009-05-13 16:12:08

We love you Burnley, we do ... what a night

Publish date: 2009-05-13 02:37:17

A tweet cannot express the wonders of TGV

Publish date: 2009-05-12 08:48:31

It's Mind week - Get it off your Chest with me and Stephen Fry

Publish date: 2009-05-11 06:29:15

Hate the Mail, love Obama

Publish date: 2009-05-10 10:04:00

Burnley 1 Reading 0 - a biased report

Publish date: 2009-05-09 21:26:32

MPs expenses - time for party leaders to meet again

Publish date: 2009-05-09 09:50:19

Should happiness replace prosperity as national goal?

Publish date: 2009-05-08 08:43:23

Musings from a sleepless night

Publish date: 2009-05-07 07:33:49

Darren Fletcher - an injustice that has to be righted

Publish date: 2009-05-06 09:52:29

Maggie's legacy not as great as she thinks

Publish date: 2009-05-05 08:33:02

Here's hoping Cardiff is metaphor for Cameron

Publish date: 2009-05-04 09:38:30

More Mr Benn and Co please

Publish date: 2009-05-03 10:03:00

Going Fourth with JP

Publish date: 2009-05-02 18:25:41

Journalism - print first, think later

Publish date: 2009-05-02 09:10:01

In praise of two poets

Publish date: 2009-05-01 10:26:36

JP hits the road again

Publish date: 2009-04-29 18:52:11

My night with Eddie Izzard

Publish date: 2009-04-29 10:53:25

Explaining the 50p top tax rate

Publish date: 2009-04-28 09:22:53

George Best and Martin McGuinness

Publish date: 2009-04-27 09:02:35

Cameron confused over indepdendence and impartiality

Publish date: 2009-04-26 12:20:56

Guide ro Marathon running part 2

Publish date: 2009-04-25 11:01:34

Good signals on coal and the Olympics

Publish date: 2009-04-24 10:45:28

Tips for the London Marathon

Publish date: 2009-04-23 17:29:27

Missed the Budget, saw why it mattered

Publish date: 2009-04-22 23:09:31

Football good, politics bad. Allegedly

Publish date: 2009-04-22 00:00:24

The Great Wall gets greater

Publish date: 2009-04-21 09:55:22

Two sides to police story

Publish date: 2009-04-20 11:39:54

Budgets, Balls, billionaires and Susan Boyle

Publish date: 2009-04-19 12:31:45

Do muscles have memories?

Publish date: 2009-04-18 09:44:44

Bring back standing at football

Publish date: 2009-04-17 14:50:22

When Facebook friends fall out

Publish date: 2009-04-16 12:29:16

Guardian sightings and the email and bath plug agenda

Publish date: 2009-04-15 11:32:16

The spin is all in the prism

Publish date: 2009-04-14 09:22:41

A setback, not a crisis

Publish date: 2009-04-13 12:55:19

The real lessons from Damian McBride

Publish date: 2009-04-12 10:49:47

Will English always be the dominant language?

Publish date: 2009-04-11 10:02:02

On the pipes and what makes a Scot

Publish date: 2009-04-10 11:06:20

John Prescott lazy? NO WAY

Publish date: 2009-04-09 09:11:31

David Frost is seventy

Publish date: 2009-04-08 08:48:38

The Speaker, BBC2, tonight and tomorrow 8pm

Publish date: 2009-04-07 14:25:31

Obama, colds and being woken by Korean missiles

Publish date: 2009-04-06 11:59:24

When a call matters more than protocol

Publish date: 2009-04-05 11:33:42

Green Cities Champions League

Publish date: 2009-04-04 10:19:53

Could Cameron have delivered the G20 deal?

Publish date: 2009-04-03 10:11:59

Of Benn and Bono

Publish date: 2009-04-02 08:21:16

Memo to Sarko - allez vite a Londres

Publish date: 2009-04-01 08:46:17

Happy April Fool's Day

Publish date: 2009-04-01 01:44:05

Eurostar, Le Monde and a thought for the G20 sherpas

Publish date: 2009-03-31 09:17:22

Why Kevin Rudd made an impact

Publish date: 2009-03-30 10:24:41

Pre-G20 hype matters less than post-G20 process

Publish date: 2009-03-29 13:17:28

The Damned United

Publish date: 2009-03-28 10:37:04

A hobby horse, a plug and a bit of sport

Publish date: 2009-03-27 10:22:23

Cloughie - he had a lot to be big-headed about

Publish date: 2009-03-26 09:38:36

A sad sight of the old fearing the young

Publish date: 2009-03-25 17:03:07

Post-modern, post-structural, or bullshit?

Publish date: 2009-03-25 08:18:02

Learning the right lessons from Obama

Publish date: 2009-03-24 08:53:15

Lazy Dave needs to keep an eye on lazy Ken

Publish date: 2009-03-23 11:16:14

Farewell favourite restaurant, hello hometown

Publish date: 2009-03-22 08:18:09

Dave, Danny and have the Tories really changed?

Publish date: 2009-03-21 08:55:13

Life beyond Dover ...

Publish date: 2009-03-20 10:11:21

My friends in The New Statesman - Fergie, Fiona, Tony, Sarah, Kevin, 'Dacre,' and a great GB idea for the G20

Publish date: 2009-03-18 10:38:22

Iraq, Iran, GB, Obama and diplomatic chess

Publish date: 2009-03-17 10:07:13

The Age of Stupid

Publish date: 2009-03-16 08:27:13

Is all change good?

Publish date: 2009-03-15 10:00:06

The pressure of being a post-modern sex god

Publish date: 2009-03-14 10:00:55

Cameron still hasn't sealed the deal with business

Publish date: 2009-03-13 09:21:49

Stand up for social workers

Publish date: 2009-03-12 08:31:17

Surely Malcolm Tucker could have told Armando Ianucci ... You can't spin a spinner

Publish date: 2009-03-11 10:58:25

Start of a new approach from Labour?

Publish date: 2009-03-10 09:54:12

A peace process still strong

Publish date: 2009-03-09 08:21:05

Day of destiny for the real footballer of the year

Publish date: 2009-03-08 09:21:06

Private advice to Peggy Mitchell - the leaked note in full

Publish date: 2009-03-07 08:17:21

Boris, the Tories and the tummy-tickling poodle press

Publish date: 2009-03-06 09:49:37

A day in the life of the self-obsessed TV reporter

Publish date: 2009-03-05 07:55:47

GB - good speech, well delivered

Publish date: 2009-03-04 19:31:05

Notes on the environment, a role in EastEnders

Publish date: 2009-03-04 10:58:56

She may be my 'wife' but it is time to rebut!

Publish date: 2009-03-03 10:52:59

Some speeches matter more than others

Publish date: 2009-03-02 12:04:45

Mental health and the Carling Cup Final

Publish date: 2009-03-01 09:08:17

Inside the chocolate factory

Publish date: 2009-02-28 10:23:59

GB on the G20, JP on Jeremy Kyle

Publish date: 2009-02-27 09:14:36

Charity and the credit crunch, please give generously!

Publish date: 2009-02-26 08:55:12

Why oh why are the Tories not home and dry?

Publish date: 2009-02-24 09:44:59

Me, Dermot and ten top songs

Publish date: 2009-02-23 10:02:19

Names round-up

Publish date: 2009-02-22 08:43:39

What's in a name?

Publish date: 2009-02-21 09:58:14

Editing the New Statesman

Publish date: 2009-02-20 11:42:36

Salute Peter M’s proper use of the F word

Publish date: 2009-02-19 09:58:58

Labour's communications challenge for the NHS

Publish date: 2009-02-18 10:34:39

In praise of Keighley

Publish date: 2009-02-17 14:33:57

A night at the Emirates

Publish date: 2009-02-17 00:06:51

When marriage is tested

Publish date: 2009-02-16 13:36:35

Spare me the myths and the whining

Publish date: 2009-02-15 13:29:50

Dave Cameron - is that all there is?

Publish date: 2009-02-14 11:11:55

Boris Johnson: F is for ...

Publish date: 2009-02-13 07:55:10

The Cameron vacuum

Publish date: 2009-02-12 14:48:33

Lincoln, Obama, Blair and the 24 hour media culture

Publish date: 2009-02-11 10:28:47

Eighteen interviews later ...

Publish date: 2009-02-10 19:24:45

Time to talk about Time to Change on Newsnight

Publish date: 2009-02-09 22:47:49

So that’s what they mean by online community?

Publish date: 2009-02-08 12:12:51

First blog

Publish date: 2009-02-05 15:23:57