Prepare for Another War
This former pornographer, alcoholic and bullyboy doesn't exactly have a great track record in which to launch his attacks from. Last time TB checked Andy Coulson wasn't detained and forced to hospital by the police for his and others safety. In his hack days Campbell was famed for punching fellow lefties, cutting his teeth as a thug in preparation for his future enforcer role. You would think there were already enough basket cases in the bunker.
With this background of thuggery, Campbell took to his role of summoning all the dark arts of the media against his masters enemies like a duck to water. Shouting and screaming down the phone, threats to end careers, emotional and actual blackmail, and a stubborn refusal to ever concede any point. How did the famous Iraq quote go again? "Come on, you don't seriously think we won't find anything?"
TB is at a loss to explain this collective bout of amnesia that has broken out across Westminster. How many people have managed to survive driving a whistle-blower to suicide and been able to bounce back as a knight in shining armour at an hour of need. Even his homage Malcolm Tucker hasn't killed anyone.
For Campbell to be brought back into the fold is almost as explosive as the return of Mandy. Ever the careerist, Mandelson's return was easy to comprehend, but Campbell has nothing to lose, he is there for one reason and one reason only - to play dirty. At times the New Labour foursome swore never to be in the same room as each other again but then desperate times call for desperate measures. It is clear that Mandy has lost the argument that the toff line won't work and who better to oversee a kitchen sink operation than then poisonous and hateful man who wrote the rule book. Campbell went before because he was a liability, things must be in utter chaos if the Brownites, who were so often at the receiving end of Campbell's dirty tricks, have been forced to beg him for their help.
This is going to get nastier than anyone can imagine.
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25 comments:
I guess there is only one thing worse for Campbell - and that is the Tories winning.
Plus, at the time of his first autobiography he removed a lot of the Brown stuff (no pun intended) so as not to destabilise the "new" Brown Government.
I imagine that he sees two opportunities - to be credited with turning Labour into an electable force, and to earn tonnes of dosh by releasing "The Alastair Campbell Diaries - Unabridged", when Brown does evenutally get booted out of Downing Street...
Of course, Campbell's abilities were probably magnified two-fold in his first stint at no. 10 by an inept Tory party and a pliant media. Neither of those exist now.
I hope it's a war we can win...
Dear Oliver. "Of course, Campbell's abilities were probably magnified two-fold in his first stint at no. 10 by an inept Tory party and a pliant media. Neither of those exist now"
Please state current planet of residence.
My first visit here, and what a great piece.
I hope NeoLabour do win a small majority next year.
Let them deal with the black and white reality of a structural deficity so huge it threatens a sterling crisis.
Britain is a nation of ruffian troglodytes, professional benefits scroungers, state employed paper shufflers, and disability fraudsters anyway, they deserve New Labour.
These vermin will be at each other's throats before too long, but at least if they're bullying and briefing against each other they won't have time to destroy other dedicated, brave, experts such as Dr Kelly.
Really - is this all they can come up with.
Dear Grumpy Old Man.
Do you contend that the media are still "Labour Party Pliant" in general? And do you contend that the Tory party are still inept?
I don't think either - if you do, may I politely ask you to state current planet of residence ;)
As for Alastair Campbell's abilities...I did say probably. He might well turn this around for Labour - but if the Tories stick to their guns and attack in the right spots, like they have been doing until recently, they will be fine.
On getting nasty, you are right, I fear, but this is something I have been trying to plug for a little time. This election could become the nastiest on record.
Campbell is old tech, Spin and Sound byte. The trouble is so far the Conservatives have been scared to engage their political scientists, and are reluctant let their black arts specialists guide. It may be that they are to slow to grab the opportunity or even that they fear having their fingers burnt. We have been effective in closing down the game play of both the far rightists and the extreme leftists, now we need to demonstrate that Right Exceeds left in application of political will. Runes seek to use these arts wisely and with out prejudice as far is possible when morality insists on good will, then it follows that we must present Good will. We are not a nasty or wicked party , we are essentially good and we serve because we are slaves of the Law.
If we can get this simple Civic mind set across we will have won all of the fight.
We are not going to rule for the benefit of any single group. We are about doing great things for Britain not petty game play. Rise above Campbell and take the moral high ground. Brown turning on Eton hurts my heart and we simply should not fall into a class war. Brown is the old party of state a weak willing and undemocratic rag bag government of no practical use. The man has no further use on that cross he has adopted. Brown must be taken down now and for a season Labour must oppose.
David Cameron will be a fine leader a moral leader that we can rightly look up to as an example of our English nature our deserved superiority. Play it safe and play it moral, but play it hard and for real, if he is your brother you cannot harm him. There’s the rub, we are for everyone but as a result we are against them all. We are only taking back what we stolen from us by the Social robbers, the spongers and the spend thrift. Eton is the heart of England and we all sing from the same hymn sheet in that respect, we know he has been trained well. We support him and cry wild songs at the moon as we rake the moon in Wiltshire.
This is going to get nastier than anyone can imagine
I don't go with no-one imagining it: see
but yes, it's been in the works for a while, it's nasty and will indeed get worse
I wonder who is picking up the bill for him this time? Wasnt it the taxpayer last time?
I'm sorry but who is fooling who? Campbell is a very smooth operator in a nasty and vindictive game. Sadly the conservatives are still inept and large portions of the press and media are still compliant ( Grumpy old man). Just see how Cameron made such a mess of the islamic schools issue last week and got nailed yesterday.
It is the job of HM's opposition to offer an alternative government. To do that it must make a professional job of opposing, but repeatedly the conservatives fail to oppose effectively, fail to hold the government to account and fail to set the agenda for the electorate. Why because the party is divided within itself and its leadership is weak and vacillating.
My politics are centre right, my sentiments are free market liberal, but this conservative party does not represent me. Campbell is not the problem. The conservatives are; and unless the party wakes up and acts, next years election will be lost among a blizzard of vicious soundbites and vituperative counterclaims.
Andrew C
As dirty a campaign as possible I'm hoping. As there is nothing to choose between the parties the most we can hope for is an entertaining battle for the trough.
alistair campbell against any right wing commentator ie fraser nelson is bad news for the torys.on any subject this man wipes the floor with anyone.
alistair campbell against any right wing commentator ie fraser nelson is bad news for the torys.on any subject this man wipes the floor with anyone.
Pssst, anon,...what a ridiculous comment. And by the way...no he doesn't.
Campbell is old tech, Spin and Sound byte. The trouble is so far the Conservatives have been scared to engage their political scientists, and are reluctant let their black arts specialists guide. It may be that they are to slow to grab the opportunity or even that they fear having their fingers burnt. We have been effective in closing down the game play of both the far rightists and the extreme leftists, now we need to demonstrate that Right Exceeds left in application of political Rise above Campbell and take the moral high ground. David Cameron will be a fine leader that we can rightly look up to as an example of our English nature, our Conservative superiority. Play it safe? but play it hard and for real, take the fight to Campbell and make him take it on the chin. Labour have had a few good days, but are still well behind and in need of a beating. It should not be hard to turn the screws, if we have the heart to go for the throat of this shallow man
In 2003 there were no Tory Bears to expose Campbell's lies. He controlled every inch of the MSM through threat.
He won't like the new world where millions have access to instant feedback via the net. Campbell is from the dead tree era.
Tories just need to put Michael Howard up against Campbell every time he comes on TV. He's terrified of him.
With any luck, the evil old b*stard will have a heart attack.
"This is going to get nastier than anyone can imagine."
Not more than I can imagine; I have been warning for over a year now that the coming general election campaign will see Labour use every trick they know to keep their hands on power. You see they truly believe that they are right and that the 'evil Tories' must never be allowed to win an election. The dirt, scare stories and lies will be flung by Brown, Balls, Mandelson, Campbell etc. (well it's worked so well before) whilst the ground troops (on their own volition and without any guidance from above) try and use postal voting etc. to fix the election.
Dirty? You ain't seen nothing yet.
'The Thick of it' has passed its sell-by date.
It's not Campbell against Fleet Street any more. It's Campbell... Draper... McBride... against thousands of writers. And dozens of moles.
One slip into the shite and you'll drag Gordon down into it with you, Al.
Twelve years on and the bloggers are after you - nowhere to hide.
Welcome back to the fray. Mind how you go.
Eyes front. Mark your target and fire at the smoke.
Eyes front. Mark your target and fire at the smoke.
Eyes front. Mark your target and fire at the smoke.
Eyes front. Mark your target and fire at the smoke.
I hear he speaks very highly of you, TB.
'Anonymous' Guide to handling Alistair Campbell's phone bullying:
1) Grow backbone
2) 'Fuck off Campbell you loser'
3) Put the phone down
a long and detailed post TB from the sounds of it AC have the Tories rattled you included.
interesting times ahead if he does come back full time.
'the only difference being that he had some decent arrows in his bow for once'
I hear that you may have had something to do with that TB, even though Guido denies it.
https://blueblighter.blogspot.com/2009/12/did-tory-bear-and-guido-fawkes-fire.html