Alastair Campbell is never short of something interesting to say.Alastair Campbell is never short of something interesting to say.
Alastair Campbell is never short of something interesting to say.

Alastair Campbell in Quotes: 13 interesting quotes from the spin doctor and The Rest Is Politics podcaster

Tony Blair's former spin doctor is now a superstar political podcaster, with a quote for every occasion.

By David Hepburn
Published 14th Sep 2023, 15:19 BST

Alastair Campbell was born in 1957 in Yorkshire where his Scottish Gaelic-speaking father was a veterinary surgeon.

He studied at Cambridge University then joined the Mirror Group as a trainee journalist, becoming the Sports Editor at local title The Tavistock Times. Campbell soon graduated to national newspapers, becoming political correspondent for The Mirror then News Editor for the now-defunct Today newspaper.

His route into politics came as an adviser for Labour leader Neil Kinnock and, when Tony Blair succeeded John Smith, he became his press secretary. It was the start of a successful partnership that would win three consecutive elections, with him taking on a number of roles including Downing Street Press Secretary, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson, Downing Street director of communications and spokesman for the Labour Party, and campaign director for the 2005 general election.

Since then he has enjoyed success in several areas, including a return to journalism with a role as editor at large of The New European and chief interviewer for GQ. He also works as a freelance political advisor, is an ambassador for several mental health charities, has written 17 books and is the co-host (along with Rory Stewart) of the hugely-popular The Rest is Politics podcast.

Here are 13 interesting things he's said over the years.

"So here is one of my theories on happiness: we cannot know if we have lived a truly happy life until the very end. This view of life and death was reinforced by my close witnessing of the buildup to the death of Philip Gould. Philip was without doubt my closest friend in politics. When he died, I felt like I had lost a limb."

1. Alastair Campbell on...happiness

"So here is one of my theories on happiness: we cannot know if we have lived a truly happy life until the very end. This view of life and death was reinforced by my close witnessing of the buildup to the death of Philip Gould. Philip was without doubt my closest friend in politics. When he died, I felt like I had lost a limb."

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"The bad news for journalists today is that the media, however seriously people who are in the public eye take it, is not taken as seriously as it once was - by the public."

2. Alastair Campbell on...journalists

"The bad news for journalists today is that the media, however seriously people who are in the public eye take it, is not taken as seriously as it once was - by the public."

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"I hold no candle for George Osborne whatsoever. He has no strategic skills, is a hopeless chancellor, has no idea how most people have to live and his policies are failing and hurting millions."

3. Alastair Campbell on...George Osborne

"I hold no candle for George Osborne whatsoever. He has no strategic skills, is a hopeless chancellor, has no idea how most people have to live and his policies are failing and hurting millions."

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"The media are obsessed with spin doctors and with portraying them as a bad thing, yet seem addicted to our medicine."

4. Alastair Campbell on...spin doctors

"The media are obsessed with spin doctors and with portraying them as a bad thing, yet seem addicted to our medicine."

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