Alastair Campbell | Full Address and Q&A | Oxford Union

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Campbell is a British journalist, broadcaster, political aide and author, best known for his work as Tony Blair's spokesman and campaign director, followed by Downing Street Press Secretary for Blair. He then became Director of Communications and spokesman for the Labour Party. He resigned in August 2003 during the Hutton Inquiry into the death of David Kelly.
He continues to act as a consultant strategist and as an ambassador for Time To Change and other mental health charities. He is an adviser to the People's Vote campaign, demanding a public vote on the final Brexit deal.
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[@_Understand_it]

His foresight on Putin, Trump and NATO was unreal.

[@selamotshwane9338]

Thanks for the posts Cambs :)

[@clevercat9774]

Glad Alister mentioned Peter Kyle. My local MP, for Hove & Portslade, (in Brighton & Hove) . In GE17 he had an enormous majority, a rare thing is a labour stronghold one he south east coast! I’ve met him a few times - absolutely brilliant! Can’t believe any true labour supported would want to unseat him!

[@kianlowe4844]

Is anybody else bugged by his jacket collar being turned up at the back?!

[@TB-dz8lm]

...annoying as hell

[@folasadegiwa6305]

thank so good blessing you todary am

[@folasadegiwa6305]

thank so much good blrssing you todary am

[@buckreeder]

Gotta lot of time for Campbell. The party is poorer without his advice.

[@shanelevene4864]

I hope that's a joke? Or you're a conservative socialist? This guy is absolutely embedded in capitalist ideals... New Labour was a successful marketing campaign, nothing more. And this piece of shit played a huge role in all of that. You're wanting victory at any price again. X

[@oldseadog3386]

You will see him doing this more often now as he wont be getting his cushy overpaid job in Brussels due to us old ignorant lager drinking pot smoking scum who voted Brexit. Any way he's a Cambridge man so he can't be that good.

[@buckreeder]

not a joke. lets see how many elections we win without him yeah?

[@dangoodbad1951]

Labour didn't win because of him, they won because the Tories were despised in the mid 90s, Labour were well ahead in the polls and would have won with or without Blair and Campbell.

[@CbrigBear87]

Another idiot that does not understand Blair killed Labour.

[@folasadegiwa6305]

thank so mich good blessing you todaey am

[@jasonturner4997]

Dodgy dossier..say no more

[@TonyCarrollPassion4Motorsport]

ohh wow looking forward to this >> tc

[@stevenbeaven1]

I'm 10 minutes in and already fuming that Campbell is spinning his way out of not acknowledging that he was instrumental in creating the mess that UK politics is currently in. His capacity to re-write history knows no bounds. Loathsome man.

[@paulyoung4649]

Gordon Brown was not elected either.

[@CbrigBear87]

He was only knifed in the back twice by Saint Tony. He should have been leader after John Smith but nevermind.

[@CbrigBear87]

Who the fuck elected Campbell?

[@paulyoung4649]

Tacit Blue everyone in the country. I definitely remember it he was elected as 3rd biggest c#πt in the UK ever, for all times.

[@pr4442]

No prime minister is elected in the United Kingdom they are appointed by her majesty the queen

[@italsounds001]

New labour gave us the change that paved the way for Cameron, May, and the type of politics we are suffering today, it was new labour and the Tory version of it that turned so many people towards right wing bigotry, or away from politics altogether, the politics of no choice, no ideas and neoliberal stagnation.

[@ahmedmahon2022]

Can't help but admire the man.

[@jasonkingshott2971]

...for being Tony Blair's liar in chief?

[@lollypton4572]

He's a tosser of the highest order....

[@jasonkingshott2971]

Me too, just at the point when he walked out the door.

[@jasonkingshott2971]

@@lollypton4572 Just a tosser?

[@matthewstokes1608]

This individual is about as repulsive a being as I can possibly imagine

[@sweeeny2019]

Pretty astute observation about Trump & Putin.

[@wenqing3992]

Every Party has a wonderful name.

[@robbychristian828]

He is an enigma. Some absolute nuggets in there with a lot of fluff. Tony Blair deciphered him :)

[@jasonkingshott2971]

Not an enigma, just believe the opposite to what he says.

[@drofheim]

I know he has suffered from depression, but im amazed this guy hasn't gone crazy with his decisions that bad affected many or killed.

[@tedm6894]

Crazy that you think he, the press secretary was making those decisions

[@Charlie-et4td]

​@@tedm6894in fairness he massively assisted the ilegal wars because of his media control

[@tedm6894]

@@Charlie-et4td that's delusional. He's been proven as not lying.

[@hiroshima3112]

his collar is killing me

[@jasonkingshott2971]

Just stop watching it, it is not that difficult.

[@lorro7585]

32:10 "this will get a laugh" Nobody laughs.

[@Daniel-jy9so]

I did

[@user-lp7wo7og4x]

I did

[@JK-br1mu]

Yes! The cutey in bottom right 3:15 didn't raise her hand when he asked who wanted Labour to win the next election.

[@ddd-ly3rv]

When you unravel him you find the meta idea of ultimate liberal power through not trusting anyone abroad. Like synthesis was slappin's

[@CbrigBear87]

Oh he managed to get Russia in. That's telling...

[@sratus]

Even his suit looks like it's from 1997

[@woolcottable]

TrainInVain Trousers were way baggier than that in 1997

[@ludovic2431]

Same shit different day. The average politicians programm 1 self interest; 2 parties interest; 3 countries interest. How refreshing it would be if they were able to change 1 against 3. Unfortunatly that's wishfull thinking. You better ask gravity to stop working.

[@alluviatchainovska7093]

A neighbour's window has a poster on her window, stating;- "Jeremy Corbyn honest straight talking politics ". I debated with the lady, the topic being - honest straight talking politics doesn't exist. Sadly she wouldn't withdraw from her delusion 🙉🙈🙊

[@shanelevene4864]

You debated with her? That's admirable, but you should have taken the intellectual high-ground and put a brick through her window.

[@alluviatchainovska7093]

Shane Levene​ Radical response toward the deluded never works, brick through her window - not the response I was expecting LOL 😲

[@luisemiliogomezcantoral1587]

Alluvia Tchainovska

[@alluviatchainovska7093]

Shane Levene​, pleased that you commented - I'm following you now and appreciate your work x 😉

[@shanelevene4864]

Alluvia Tchainovska Excuse me Alluvia I've only just caught this comment... didn't come through as a notification for some reason. My sincere appreciation and thanks for your words and any time you've spent reading mine. Great writers need even greater readers... X

[@NP-zl7dz]

Had no idea what he was saying, was just annoyed by his jacket collar.

[@jasonkingshott2971]

Don't worry, you didn't miss anything, he was talking a load of garbage as usual.

[@wouldbegood]

I predicted that Jeremy Corbyn will never connect with the public... and lo and behold after my campaign of spin with all my media buddies he isn't. Long live New Labour.

[@amadfook3r]

its funny how all of this aged like milk

[@atlantis_expedition_member4747]

Am I the only one curious about that the "woman" at 52:10 is actually a man?

[@jeremywestern7067]

TOTAL AND UTTER W⚓️

[@mtnaybour5423]

Sounds like Alastair supports this upcoming general election then.

[@MarmiteCrumpets]

Interesting to see this 12 months later in the light of political change both in the US and domestically. An increasingly isolated UK government with nowhere to turn being hung by its own petard and massive and sustainable changes within Labour whose return to socialist policies are popular, viable, costed and which resonate with so many crying out for change to end the cycle of punishing austerity and corruption.

[@scooby1992]

We just need to persuade people that the Socialist policies are what they need . I don't think enough are convinced yet .

[@terrysmith9362]

such popular socialist policies the worst GE result since 1935. You lefties are utterly delusional

[@bobtudbury8505]

campbell is one of the biggests prats in politics, i am amazed how he got on !!

[@joecmccluskey]

And your a Number 1 PRATT for writing such a Dumb Comment..

[@ianwestbrook2763]

You didn't give the book away, you rat! ;-)

[@richardchadwick7310]

what happened to dr kelly?

[@markturley8167]

Gordon Brown was unelected

[@gw84g]

He was right about deeply unelected Theresa May

[@jasonkingshott2971]

Did he support the utterly useless Gordon Brown "not being elected"?

[@j.x.x.r3645]

21:56 :(

[@mrfas4217]

The spin doctor for Iraq war. Enough said

[@tedm6894]

Daily mail fanatic, enough said.

[@geraldinemcgowan6666]

Campbell is the real McCoy--the world is sad but Campbell is not. Wish the US had someone like him.

[@zackzad]

why do I hate him

[@raymondbedborough8522]

A vile man. He helped drive the attacks around the world with Blair.

[@poesie6279]

If you don't support Corbyn how is your party going to win? You're giving it away!

[@villeporttila5161]

lol

[@peternicho]

Alastair Campbell in la la land the man is deluded

[@jakit4]

Do you still believe this?

[@peha9942]

Boring.

[@spartacusforlife1508]

When your raison d'etre is as a spin doctor then what merit can you be given by a listening public. You can never trust the likes of Alastair campbell simply because his form proves it

[@bertiescunsbutch9323]

Dr David Kelly R.I.P.

[@user-lp7wo7og4x]

Bril mind old Ali

[@sahilarora4402]

16 Year Old Blairite here. Wish New Labour were still in power :(

[@paulyoung4649]

Sahil Arora Great, we'd have boots on the ground all over the middle east in wars we can't afford. Lord mandy and the rest of the crony capitalists will be happy when you are able to vote for them.

[@wigazw5539]

paul young Don't think the Iraq invasion is so controversial because of financial commitment, but from a moral standpoint.

[@CbrigBear87]

Grow up, fast. Sahil

[@jamesfyffe2768]

Nice rebuttal ignore him :)

[@CbrigBear87]

Haha yeah ignore. Look what happens. Sahil you are fake news!

[@ryanhughes9498]

Wouldnt let him run my bath or tie my shoe laces

[@robertdavis9246]

Sounds like a typical politician who thinks that discussing strategy as opposed to principles is what people want to hear.

[@alexfrye6]

He's not a politician he's a strategist. That was his job, what do you expect him to talk about?

[@JackJames2612]

someone should of told him his collars up.

[@jasonkingshott2971]

Or even his and Blair's time is up.

[@merrybolton2135]

Tony Gordon and you before the financial crash did not see it coming and did not tell the people at the bottom .I am not that educated but I saw it coming , The bubble was going to burst , WE ARE PAYING THE PRICE NOt you

[@chrish12345]

spot the war crim

[@whovotedforthat]

War monger

[@01parmy]

should be in jail not making millions and derailing brexit

[@ludovic2431]

Yoy tell us of the conservative flock of sheep. No progressiveness there. More about going back in time. Ahh, you are talking about Brexit.

[@kentwydell9322]

I'm unsure about that guy..... Is he a narcissist, Sociopath or psychopath?.....

[@nickjung7394]

How can anyone believe anything this man says? I wonder if he has ever served in the armed forces or, if he encouraged his children to?

[@haydoncooper3744]

Never mind is jacket and collar he irritates me.

[@robertwilson214]

Why does he keep saying their clever? If they knew what ethics/philosophy was,they'd walk out

[@robertwilson214]

@Justin FM 🤭

[@TheGatesOfFire]

Details just don't matter to this guy.

[@Isleofskye]

He never let facts get in the way....

[@jasonkingshott2971]

Blair's Liar-in-Chief!

[@orangewarm1]

Comes on and starts with propaganda. How about the question: do you belive Iraq had wmds?

[@oliverc1961]

What a patronising, boring man Campbell is. Don't address university undergraduates and postgraduates as "children".

[@gerrybrennan5715]

A genuine natural born liar.....

[@jimmymyers8753]

Campbell Tony Blair Rent Boy !!

[@grantfleming8178]

Good actor with little to say of truth or value

[@hylkewesterhuis9667]

24:00 Keeping on defending Tony Blair .................................... that's where I quit. Thumb down for this utter waste of (my) time.

[@jch292]

21:56 LOL. #LIBERALTEARS

[@eddiehernandez2179]

The brown fighter compellingly signal because cod immuhistochemically unite per a juicy plot. safe, condemned persian

[@gwengwengwen9604]

Prefer Nigel Farage

[@Judewilkinsonjfk]

nice friendly discussion