Alastair Campbell
Alastair Campbell is a former government spin doctor who these days describes himself as a 'writer, communicator and strategist'.
He is best known for his role as press secretary and director of communications to former UK Labour prime minister Tony Blair between 1997 and 2003. [1][2]
He now sits on the advisory board of lobbying and public relations firm Portland PR, which was set up by another former Blair adviser Tim Allan in 2001.
Since leaving parliament Campbell 'divides his time between writing, speaking, consultancy, charitable fundraising, politics and campaigns'. [3]
He continues to advise the Labour Party, and other left of centre parties, most recently acting as strategic director for the Albanian Socialist Party, which 'won a landslide victory' in June 2013.
Iraq War- the September Dossier
Campbell was surrounded by controversy during his time as adviser to Blair. Namely, his influence over the Government's decision to enter into the Iraq War. Campbell was involved in the preparation and release of the "September Dossier" in September 2002 and the "Iraq Dossier" (or "Dodgy Dossier") in February 2003. Both documents argued the case for concern over possible weapons of mass destruction in Iraq but were later heavily criticised for overstating and distorting the actual intelligence findings. [4]
Notes
- ↑ life so far AlastairCampbell.org, accessed 18 March 2015
- ↑ Alastair Campbell Portland, accessed 18 March 2015
- ↑ Alastair Campbell Huffington Post, accessed 18 March 2015
- ↑ Chris Ames and Richard Norton-Taylor Alastair Campbell had Iraq dossier changed to fit US claims The Guardian, 10 January 2010, accessed 18 March 2015
