Alistair Cambell on Newsnight tonight

[RingoMcCartney]

When you say political giant ,don’t you mean an unelected civil servant

To be fair I was mocking Hampstead Claret. Not describing a co-conspirator in war crimes.

[UpTheBeehole]

To be fair I was mocking Hampstead Claret. Not describing a co-conspirator in war crimes.

There's that old libel again!

[NottsClaret]

In the modern parlance, he seems to 'trigger' folk.

I'm not sure I understand quite how he gets such responses (apart from every response on here is wildly over the top). He worked for Tony Blair and did a good job, whether you agree or not with what were on the whole fairly centrist policies. The idea he's responsible for all the geo-political factions behind a multi-national war in the middle east seems far fetched.

He's abrasive and confrontational, but if you want a career in Westminster or the media, you're going to need to be. "Don't hate the player, hate the game" as the kids say. Other than that he's a proper, genuine Claret from back before a lot of us were watching, before the internet, before the Premier League and at all the s**t hole grounds we used to traipse around. Overall, I don't mind listening to him on the radio or the telly even if he's a bit of a tit sometimes.

[No Ney Never]

"Don't hate the player, hate the game" as the kids say.

This quotation within your post just about sums it up.

Nothing wrong with a lad from Burnley who's done well for himself.

[Herts Clarets]

This quotation within your post just about sums it up.

Nothing wrong with a lad from Burnley who's done well for himself.

He isn't from Burnley......

[RingoMcCartney]

Alastair Campbell and Tony Bliar -

"we created wasteland and called it democracy"

Ditto Cameron / Libya.....

[KateR]

another storm in a teacup with those who know all and yet nothing shouting there opinions from the rooftops in the false opinion of if I shout loudest and throw in a few swear/nasty words then everyone will know I am right and fear me, they wont dare to try and argue/debate against me.

Makes me smile every time.

was a nice tie though if it had a BFC crest on it even if I did not see it, all whispered in my opinion of course!

[No Ney Never]

He isn't from Burnley......

OK, nothing wrong with a lad who supports Burnley doing well for himself.

[Grumps]

I never worked how he was allowed to drive to Ewood, and park at the stadium when the rest of us had to be bused in..... He wasn't a guest as he sat in the Darwen end with the rest of us.

[Croydon Claret]

Came to my workplace in London for some motivational speech or other. Didn't go obviously but muttered "Up the Clarets" as he walked past.

His face changed from being all serious and it was like a weight had been lifted from him. Think he only really wanted to talk about Burnley

Had a perfectly normal chat with him about whether he would be going to the Bournemouth game that night. Said he couldn't go as he was due in London to attend the Brexit talks.

Informed him that he had his priorities all wrong and a re-evaluation of his life was in order

Came across as a perfectly decent chap and enthusiastic fellow supporter.

[joey13]

Does that stop him being a political giant?? (For good or for bad).
A lot of our political giants are appointed rather than elected, aren't they? Or they are simply important influential political figures in their own right.
(How about Samuel Pepys? His diaries are more famous and widely read than those of Campbell. He was never elected to a post).

Good point well made , apart from the he is a she , although I can understand why you are confused.

[nil_desperandum]

Good point well made , apart from the he is a she , although I can understand why you are confused.

I'm sorry. You've lost me - genuinely. Who is a she? Samuel Pepys or Campbell??

[joey13]

I'm sorry. You've lost me - genuinely. Who is a she? Samuel Pepys or Campbell??

Madeline Albright

[nil_desperandum]

Madeline Albright

Ok. I was genuinely confused by your response, though it's no surprise.
Now that I check back, wasn't the political "giant" referenced by our friend Ringo actually Hampstead Claret???
Unless she is Madeleine?

[Silkyskills1]

I really don’t get the hostility. He has always stood up for what he believes in. No one is any doubt as to his position. He is loyal to those around him and he was a success in his field. You don’t have to agree with him. You don’t have to like him. But frankly a few more with those qualities on both sides of the political fence would make life politics much better

Back in the 80s - when he had a bit on his plate- I bumped into him as the only other guy in a suit getting the train to places like Swindon for evening footy. A more charming man with his kids you couldn’t find.

Wow! Lordlucan. Where have you been since 1974? We were in the top division then too. What a story!!

[dermotdermot]

Alastair Campbell and Tony Bliar -

"we created wasteland and called it democracy"

Ditto Cameron / Libya.....

Cameron wins this by a country mile.