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Campbell is recalled to beef up election team
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor7 Oct 2008
Alastair Campbell is set for a return to the political frontline ahead of next year's Euro and local elections as Gordon Brown recreates the New Labour team that secured Tony Blair's landslide victories.
In another signal that the Prime Minister is determined to unify the party to defeat the Tories, Mr Blair's former director of communications is expected to team up with Peter Mandelson and Douglas Alexander, the party's co-ordinator, to work on the campaign.
Mr Campbell, who helped Mr Brown draft his conference speech last month, will not return to Downing Street fulltime but will play a key "consultant" role, insiders claimed. As well as next year's elections, he will also focus on the general election expected in 2010.
Mr Brown's new Cabinet met formally today for the first time, with Mr Mandelson back at the heart of government for the first time in seven years, as rebel Labour MPs dropped their calls for a new leader. Former minister George Howarth, one of a dozen critics of Mr Brown, told a packed meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party last night that "the hostilities are over".
The party also confirmed 6 November as the date for the Glenrothes byelection, which could see the SNP take a once rock-solid Labour constituency.
Mayor Boris Johnson today said the return of Mr Mandelson as Business Secretary was the Government's "only hope" of preventing firms quitting the City. Mr Campbell, a father of three, says he does not want to "give up having a life" but he is happy to help out when Mr Brown wants him.
He made plain in his published diaries that the 24-hour demands of the No 10 communications job had put huge strain on his family. He is expected to work out of Labour party HQ rather than Downing Street.
Meanwhile, Harriet Harman has complained about the sacking of junior planning minister Parmjit Dhanda. The Labour chairwoman said the loss of the only minister with an Indian background was "bad for the Government".
Reader views (19)
If Campbell had any balls he'd turn down the job telling Brown that employing him would only guarantee Labour's loss of the next election
- Steve, london, 08/10/2008 14:11
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The man who gave you the dodgy dossier and the war in Iraq. This is cynical beyond belief.
- Peter Haldane, London, 08/10/2008 13:12
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what are you doing, Crash? Trying to surround yourself with people who were MORE unpopular than you, in order to improve your personal rating ??? Dream on, Labour's going DOOOOOWN.
- Marianne, S W France, 08/10/2008 13:05
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brilliant Campbell is the best there is better than the TORIES COULSON good for LABOUR
- John Rogan, london, 07/10/2008 16:05
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The ghost of John Smith will be the next one to be reshuffled.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland, 07/10/2008 15:28
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If Brown wants to bring back Campbell that's his choice/problem but it has to be as a Labour Party paid consultant not as some phony civil servant. After all he's already brought back Mandelson who's only there for Labour's benefit. All smacks of cronyism.
- Chris Stenson, London, 07/10/2008 14:48
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Well said Andy from London. I despise everything that Alistair Campbell stands for - and whatever he says,David Kelly's death can be traced back directly to the actions of Alistair Campbell. Gordon is being made to look inept by turning to two disgraced has-beens.
- Tom, london, 07/10/2008 14:32
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Old 'New Labour' must be laughing their socks off: they're all being invited back right into the centre of the action where they can take copious notes for the next round of 'insider' books.
It's HILARIOUS! I mean, the idea of it: Labour being elected again within the next 15 years . . . !!?! ROFLMAO if it weren't so bad for the rest of us.
- Roz, Chamonix, France, 07/10/2008 14:27
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Well done Val keep up the old sad socialist clap-trap!
I expect David Kelly's family is really pleased that the spinner Campbell is back, he obviously doesn't have a conscience. Still never mind he will get his comeupence when CMD becomes PM and the Iraq enquiry is called.
- Brian Hunwicks, Spain and glad to be a Conservative, 07/10/2008 14:17
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Campbell is back
the conservatives will be quaking in their
expensive footwear.
- Ron Gaster, Liverpool, 07/10/2008 14:10
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Brown will outsmart the lot of them. If Cameron thinks he can win the next electon he needs to think again! Boy blunder has a lot of growing up to do before he can win that battle. I bet Brown can sort our ecconomy out a lot faster than many other countries, then he'll be the best thing since sliced bread! Does anyone seriously think Cameron could sort this mess out? I very much doubt if. that's why he offered to help, how on earth could he help. It's simply an excuse because he cannot talk high finance. He'll quietly be very thankful he wasn't in the hot seat, imagine what a mess we'd be in now!
- Rayb, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, 07/10/2008 14:06
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I also feel disappointed that Parmajit didn't get a job in Govt, after all he's done reasonably well as a Minister. I know he's got a pretty marginal seat in Gloucester to defend but both Shahid Malik and Sadiq Khan have jobs.
- Dhanraj, basildon, essex, 07/10/2008 13:57
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How sad Bottler Brown looks; if only this unelected prime minister could find someway to cancel the general election he would be safe.
The Tory who said "this isn't a new cabinet, this is a cabinet of the living dead" was absolutely right. Roll on 10 June 2010 and the removal truck.
- Mikko Takala, Drumnadrochit, Scotland, 07/10/2008 13:49
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Under no circumstances should this man be allowed anywhere near government again. Has everyone forgotten his behaviour around the David Kelly affair? he is a Tony crony and represents a lot of what was bad with Labour/the Government under Tony Blair.
Any support I have for Gordon Brown would completely disappear if he brings Campbell back
- Andy, London, 07/10/2008 13:43
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Get real, Georgie. The government was elected for a third term with a large majority. Gordon Brown has replaced Tony Blair as Prime Minister, in the same way that John Major replaced Margaret Thatcher, without calling an election. John Major lost the election in 1997, and the Conservatives have lost every election since then. Peter Mandelson and Alastair Campbell are part of the original New Labour team and are now back. Do you not wonder why the press and the Conservative party are 'dripping poison' on them. It's because they are 'frit', to coin a phrase.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa. Spain, 07/10/2008 13:41
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This government is still un-elected and I think... will never be elected because of it bungling. We need a economic competent government not these target spinners!
- Georgie, Islington, London, 07/10/2008 13:02
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Digging up the discredited corpses of the past only goes to show the depths and desperation that Brown has sunk to. He is an absolute national disgrace without a shred of shame. Its all about the survival of his tattered party and nothing else. All the rats are faced with no choice but to hopelessly try to keep the sinking hip afloat. Gordon Brown: Cowards are bullies, bullies are cowards.
- Mac, London, 07/10/2008 12:48
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You are so right, Tom, I couldn't agree more!
- Delphine, Oxford, 07/10/2008 11:43
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Brown can bring back all the scheming spivs he wants - Cameron and Osborne, with the support of the sane people of this country will blow them away.
- Tom, St. Albans, 07/10/2008 10:12
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