The Blair years : Extracts from the Alastair Campbell Diaries

A revelatory account of Tony Blair's tumultuous leadership, this work gathers extracts from the diaries of Alastair Campbell, Blair's spokesman from 1994 to 2003, who was his press secretary, strategist, and closest confidant. It chronicles contemporary British politics and the rise of New Labour, offering a significant record of a remarkable decade in Britain's history. The defining events include the Labour Party's resurgence, the war on terror, the death of Princess Diana, and peace negotiations in Northern Ireland, along with conflicts in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq, culminating in the 2003 Hutton Inquiry, the year Campbell resigned. The narrative also explores Blair's relationships with world leaders like Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Campbell, often described as the second most powerful figure in Britain, was pivotal to New Labour's founding and the sensational 1997 election victory. His diaries, brutally frank and often humorous, provide an engrossing glimpse into government life. This account reveals the raw nature of politics, covering crises, scandals, and the relentless scrutiny of a 24-hour media landscape. Amid landmark events, it offers insights into the human side of influential figures, making it a riveting portrayal of life at the top, seen through the eyes of someone who experienced it all.