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.
