For a decade, Alastair Campbell served as Tony Blair's closest communications strategist and chief spokesman, playing a central role in shaping the political narrative during a transformative period in British politics.
From the years leading up to Labour's landslide victory in 1997 through the party's time in government, he led communications strategy and frequently found himself at the centre of historic political moments.
Alastair is widely credited as one of the key figures behind the creation of the New Labour project. In the run-up to the 1997 election and throughout Labour's years in power, he helped drive the party's modernisation and media strategy, often engaging in high-profile battles over how the party was portrayed in the press. While his approach made him a controversial figure in some parts of the media, he also earned respect for his commitment, creativity, loyalty and formidable work ethic.
Since leaving frontline politics, Alastair has built a prolific career as an author, commentator and strategist. He has written more than twenty books, including ten volumes of political diaries, four novels, a number one bestselling analysis of leadership and success in politics, business and sport, and two personal memoirs exploring depression and the pursuit of happiness. His recent book, But What Can I Do? Why Politics Has Gone So Wrong, and How You Can Help Fix It, became a Sunday Times bestseller and reflects his continuing engagement with the state of modern politics.
Alastair is also the co-host of the widely popular podcast The Rest Is Politics, alongside former cabinet minister Rory Stewart. Launched in 2022, the podcast has become one of the UK's leading political programmes, bringing together two figures from historically opposing political traditions to discuss current affairs, global events and the inner workings of government and Parliament.
Alongside his media work, Alastair advises organisations on political and communications strategy and works extensively with charities. He is a prominent campaigner on mental health, speaking openly about his own experiences with depression, alcoholism and stress. Through interviews, documentaries, podcasts and books – including Living Better: How I Learned to Survive Depression and The Happy Depressive – he has advocated for greater openness about mental health and for workplaces to provide Mental Health First Aid training.
With humour, candour and insider perspective, Alastair draws on decades of experience at the highest levels of politics to explore leadership, reputation, the role of the media and the pressures of public life. His book Winners: And How They Succeed reflects this approach, examining what drives success across politics, sport and business. In his talks and presentations, he shares lessons from his career on leadership, strategy and resilience, encouraging audiences to challenge assumptions, understand their opponents, develop clear plans and pursue them with determination.
Talking Points
The Life and Times of Alastair Campbell
The Life and Times of Alastair Campbell
Current Events Worldwide
Current Events Worldwide
Crisis Management in the Global Economic Crisis
Crisis Management in the Global Economic Crisis
The Pace of Change in China and India
The Pace of Change in China and India
The Impact of Barack Obama on the World
The Impact of Barack Obama on the World
How Pace of Change is Changing Politics
How Pace of Change is Changing Politics
The Impact of 24/7 Media on Decision Making
The Impact of 24/7 Media on Decision Making
Lessons in Leadership From Those I Have Known
Lessons in Leadership From Those I Have Known
What is Strategy?
What is Strategy?
Video
The Worst Things that Happen Can Often Be the Best | Alastair Campbell | TEDxYouth@Manchester
Alastair Campbell considers the effect of adversity upon achievement and reveals that it was his own experience of depression and breakdown that taught him most about the true meaning of success. Alastair Campbell is a writer, communicator and strategist best known for his role as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman, press secretary and director of communications and strategy. He has written eleven books including six volumes of diaries, three novels, a personal memoir on depression and the pursuit of happiness, and most recently 'Winners and How They Succeed', a best-selling analysis of what it takes to win in politics, business and sport. In recent years he has become increasingly involved with mental health charities and causes and in 2009 he received the Mind Champion of the Year award in recognition of his work to break down the stigma around mental illness.Alastair spoke at a lunch we organised for our major clients and partners, and even though we had high expectations, he exceeded them. He was open, frank, fascinating about some of the issue ... keep reading Hunters' Property Group, Leeds
Alastair was a keynote speaker at Promax, a conference that has hosted over the years impressive speakers from Bill Clinton to Sir George Martin. It's fair to say that Alastair was one of the best we have heard from. He set out to carefully tailor his insights to a largely creative audience, and his anecdotes were told with the ease of a master storyteller. From first contact to the end of the question and answer session he was interested, engaged and hugely appreciated by the attendees.
Alastair spoke at an event at our offices in Edinburgh to an audience of key Scottish business leaders in 2005. The event was widely viewed as one of the best we have done and Alastair was the consummate professional. Guests commented on his impressive ability to move around the room speaking with everyone and that his speech was interesting and thought provoking. A lively Q&A session completed an excellent event.
Alastair Campbell was the speaker at this year's Hugh Cudlipp Annual Lecture in London. His name attracted our largest audience of newspaper journalists, politicians and media professors and students as well as numbers of the general public. All were fascinated by his excellent speech for its thought-provoking interest, humour and knowledge.
Audiences behave in obvious ways. Like bored children, they can fidget, shift noisily in their seats, even start whispering to each other. At the Borders Book Festival at midsummer in Melrose, 400 people crammed into a marquee to listen to Alastair Campbell talk about his diaries of The Blair Years, and for almost an hour and half were spellbound. Heads were absolutely still, anxious not to miss a word. They laughed loud and long at the daftnesses and farce of high politics and leaned forward, rapt, as Campbell unpacked the atmosphere and intricacies of diplomacy and domestic policy. In a translation of a Gaelic phrase, they knew that they were listening to the music of the thing as it happened. It was unforgettable.
