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Alastair Campbell Diaries #4
The Burden of Power: Countdown to Iraq--The Alastair Campbell Diaries
The Burden of Power is the fourth volume of Alastair Campbell's diaries, and perhaps the most eagerly awaited given the ground it covers. It begins on September 12, 2001 as world leaders assess their response to Al Qaida terrorist attacks in New York and Washington the day before, a day which wrote itself immediately into the history 9/11, and it ends on the day Campbell leaves Downing Street. In between there are two wars, first Afghanistan, still going on today, and then, even more controversially, Iraq. It was the most difficult decision of Blair's premiership, and perhaps the most unpopular. Campbell describes in detail the discussions with President Bush and other world leaders as the steps to war are taken, and delivers an intimate account of Blair as war leader. He records the enormous political difficulties at home, and the sense of crisis that engulfed the government over the suicide of weapons inspector David Kelly. And in the meantime Blair continues to struggle with two issues that have run through all of the Campbell diaries in government—fighting for peace in Northern Ireland, and trying to make peace with Gordon Brown. And Campbell continues to struggle with trying to balance one of the most pressurised posts in politics with the needs of a family and a partner who wants him to leave it. The Burden of Power is as raw and intimate a portrayal of the pressures and responsibilities of political life as you are ever likely to read.
752 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2012
About the author
Alastair Campbell
111 books224 followersAlastair John Campbell is a British journalist, author, strategist, broadcaster, and activist, who is known for his political roles during Tony Blair's leadership of the Labour Party. Campbell worked as Blair's spokesman and campaign director in opposition (1994–1997), then as Downing Street Press Secretary, and as the Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson (1997–2000). He then became Downing Street's director of communications and spokesman for the Labour Party (2000–2003).
Since his work for Blair, Campbell has continued to act as a freelance advisor to a number of governments and political parties, including Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Albania. He was an adviser to the People's Vote campaign, campaigning for a public vote on the final Brexit deal. He is the editor-at-large of The New European and chief interviewer for GQ. He acts as a consultant strategist and as an ambassador for Time to Change and other mental health charities. Throughout his time in Downing Street, Campbell kept a diary which reportedly totalled some two million words. Selected extracts, titled The Blair Years, were published in 2007. He expressed an intention to publish the diaries in fuller form, which he did from 2010 to 2018. In 2019, Campbell was expelled from the Labour Party after voting for the Liberal Democrats in that month's European elections. In 2022, Campbell launched the podcast The Rest Is Politics with Rory Stewart, which has been the top politics podcast in the UK in the Apple rankings since its launch.
Since his work for Blair, Campbell has continued to act as a freelance advisor to a number of governments and political parties, including Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Albania. He was an adviser to the People's Vote campaign, campaigning for a public vote on the final Brexit deal. He is the editor-at-large of The New European and chief interviewer for GQ. He acts as a consultant strategist and as an ambassador for Time to Change and other mental health charities. Throughout his time in Downing Street, Campbell kept a diary which reportedly totalled some two million words. Selected extracts, titled The Blair Years, were published in 2007. He expressed an intention to publish the diaries in fuller form, which he did from 2010 to 2018. In 2019, Campbell was expelled from the Labour Party after voting for the Liberal Democrats in that month's European elections. In 2022, Campbell launched the podcast The Rest Is Politics with Rory Stewart, which has been the top politics podcast in the UK in the Apple rankings since its launch.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 7, 2022
Best volume yet. Not as dominated by deep detail of military engagement in Iraq as you might expect (though plenty of relevant context) and all the more fascinating for that. Overwhelming sense is just how much is going on simultaneously on multiple fronts when most history is written in single thematic stories. Multiple pressures arise on family, domestic and international fronts whilst other recurring themes infuse the entire volume: TB/GB, Euro or not, slow pace of public service improvements, reform vs values, Carole Caplin, Martin Sixsmith and in my associated world of the time, the resignation of Estelle Morris
November 14, 2017
It's hard to know where to start with reviewing this book. For a political junkie like me, Campbell's account of an important period in politics is fascinating and revealing. The book covers the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the Iraq invasion that followed and the aftermath and fallout from that. The decision to go to war was a mistake in my view and Labour is only recently recovering from an adventure that served to alienate much of the party's natural support. It is clear from Campbell's account that Tony Blair was desperate to cling onto George W Bush's coat tails and back the US to the hilt over Iraq but it is also clear that the Bush regime saw the UK as a useful point of support but not essential and the ensuing 'war' was far more damaging on this side of the pond than the other.
It's also abundantly clear from Campbell's writings that the US and the UK had very little in the way of a post-conflict strategy for Iraq and clear also that there was never going to be any weapons of mass destruction found either. Given that to be the case, it is all the more disgraceful that Campbell went along with a policy with which he clearly, judging by the book, had doubts. His wife Fiona Millar, was also opposed to the Iraq war and was also clearly frustrated at the increasingly weird antics of Blair's wife Cherie, for whom she worked. This all helped to heap the pressure on Campbell, particularly towards the end of his days as Blair's chief spokesperson and political strategist.
Unfortunately, I can't get beyond Campbell's backing for Blair and the Iraq war. I can appreciate his tribal loyalty to the Labour cause and his hatred of the Daily Mail and other elements of the Tory press, but even here he rankles with his support of the Sun and friendship with some key figures from the Murdoch regime. The decision to invade Iraq has been proved to have made the world a more unsafe place. Given the alarm bells that were ringing before the conflict - and which Campbell records in this book - it was a decision that should never have been taken. As much as one might admire his role as a communications operative and a very good writer, the fact remains that he was instrumental in selling and defending a decision that has led to so much death and destruction.
Five out of five for the book but no stars for helping to usher in a period that has seen politicians' collective stock sink lower than it has ever been. Not all Campbell's fault but he has to take his share of the blame.
Despite the above, I look forward to reading volume five of his diaries, "Outside Inside", which deal with his days outside Number 10 and how he gets drawn back in to the corridors of power.
It's also abundantly clear from Campbell's writings that the US and the UK had very little in the way of a post-conflict strategy for Iraq and clear also that there was never going to be any weapons of mass destruction found either. Given that to be the case, it is all the more disgraceful that Campbell went along with a policy with which he clearly, judging by the book, had doubts. His wife Fiona Millar, was also opposed to the Iraq war and was also clearly frustrated at the increasingly weird antics of Blair's wife Cherie, for whom she worked. This all helped to heap the pressure on Campbell, particularly towards the end of his days as Blair's chief spokesperson and political strategist.
Unfortunately, I can't get beyond Campbell's backing for Blair and the Iraq war. I can appreciate his tribal loyalty to the Labour cause and his hatred of the Daily Mail and other elements of the Tory press, but even here he rankles with his support of the Sun and friendship with some key figures from the Murdoch regime. The decision to invade Iraq has been proved to have made the world a more unsafe place. Given the alarm bells that were ringing before the conflict - and which Campbell records in this book - it was a decision that should never have been taken. As much as one might admire his role as a communications operative and a very good writer, the fact remains that he was instrumental in selling and defending a decision that has led to so much death and destruction.
Five out of five for the book but no stars for helping to usher in a period that has seen politicians' collective stock sink lower than it has ever been. Not all Campbell's fault but he has to take his share of the blame.
Despite the above, I look forward to reading volume five of his diaries, "Outside Inside", which deal with his days outside Number 10 and how he gets drawn back in to the corridors of power.
April 5, 2024
Once again a high octane account of what it's like to have a role and view at the seat of power, as 9/11 morphs almost unquestioningly towards the Afghanistan and Iraq invasions. Blair's determination to stay close to the US in a bid to exert maximum influence is looking questionable even by mid 2003.
That AC is exhausted throughout highlights the pace and complexity of keeping even an electorally successful party on top of its agenda. Not for the first time in these volumes, the Blair and Brown dance is by far the most common dilemma, veering from Blair desparately keeping GB involved whilst expressing exasperation at the largely unnecessary faultlines emanating from Number 11.
Bush appears more complex than the public image suggests, a mixture of folksy friend, and hostage - or willing accomplice - of the Neocons in the march towards war. Clinton as ever provides sage advice during frequent UK visits in the immediate years after his presidency.
AC doesn't hold back on condemnation of the media and also towards some of the Party hierarchy, Clare Short in particular. And it is only fair to speculate if entries in the lead up to David Kelly's suicide were edited to provide as positive a spin as possible on the Government's involvement.
Overall, brilliant. An up close portrait of modern Government chasing success.
That AC is exhausted throughout highlights the pace and complexity of keeping even an electorally successful party on top of its agenda. Not for the first time in these volumes, the Blair and Brown dance is by far the most common dilemma, veering from Blair desparately keeping GB involved whilst expressing exasperation at the largely unnecessary faultlines emanating from Number 11.
Bush appears more complex than the public image suggests, a mixture of folksy friend, and hostage - or willing accomplice - of the Neocons in the march towards war. Clinton as ever provides sage advice during frequent UK visits in the immediate years after his presidency.
AC doesn't hold back on condemnation of the media and also towards some of the Party hierarchy, Clare Short in particular. And it is only fair to speculate if entries in the lead up to David Kelly's suicide were edited to provide as positive a spin as possible on the Government's involvement.
Overall, brilliant. An up close portrait of modern Government chasing success.
February 27, 2014
I've enjoyed reading this sequence of 4 diaries - covering the period Alastair Campbell was at the side of Tony Blair. He does for New Labour what the Tony Benn diaries did for 'Old' Labour...but out of the two these have been more entertaining not least because of the insight into the 'TBGBs'...it has to be said that the biggest political mistake (well domestically anyway) that Blair made was not getting rid of Brown. He said he wanted to so many times but bottled it...Campbell actually comes out of all this well. My respect for him had gone up anyway...
February 28, 2013
I just can't get enough of the Alistair Campbell diaries. The insight they provide into the politics of government, the media attempts to bring them down and his own personal struggles and demons make the book absolutely fascinating.
May 31, 2014
This final diary is as good as tho there's. It gives a unique insight into how the centre of government functioned during a particularly interesting point in history. Learn how a small group of committed, brilliant and flawed people can make a difference.
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January 8, 2014Didn't finish it ! Too heavy !
January 8, 2013
Hides more than it shows. Almost not worth the paper its written on. Self serving and deceptive.
April 6, 2017
Quite heavy going but definitely conveyed the pressures and struggles of political high office.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews