This wouldn’t have happened under Campbell: Politics Decoded Conference Special with Garbo

By Garbo • September 26, 2008

Daniel Finkelstein’s post about banning drinking amongst Tory MPs at next week’s conference is a clear attack aimed at the No.10 officials who were allegedly drunk at 3am on the morning of THAT announcement, as Guido points out. I say allegedly, but I have it on good authority that at least some of these key decision makers had had too much to drink - some by their own admission. It all ties in rather nicely with my “behind the scenes” post yesterday.

This is a very serious point though. It really does show what a mess No.10 is in, and perhaps a reshuffle next week should be more far reaching than a few cabinet members.

Of course, this would never had happened in Alastair Campbell’s day - not just because he is such a ruthless professional, but he is also tea total. Whatever anybody thinks of him, Labour could really do with Alastair Cambell back in charge of running communications again for No.10.

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Categories: All WW, Labour, Party Conferences 2008, Politicker, Politics Decoded
Tags: Alastair Cambell, Drinking, Ruth Kelly resignation

About the Author

Garbo

Garbo is The Wardman Wire's Political Editor and works in the politics industry in Westminster. He can be contacted directly on poliblogsAThotmail.co.uk for all queries including media and blogging inquiries.

4 Responses to “This wouldn’t have happened under Campbell: Politics Decoded Conference Special with Garbo”

Dave Cole
Fri, September 26, 2008 at 11:00 am | Permalink

Unfortunately, Campbell has said that, while he’s happy to help the party, he’s not coming back to his old job.

There has been little coverage of the fact that Kelly has been wanting to pack it in for some time.

xD.
Garbo
Fri, September 26, 2008 at 11:10 am | Permalink

Dave, I have little doubt that Kelly wanted to pack it in for some time and that the reason is, at least in part, about wanting to spend more time with her kids. I also think she is no Gordon Brown fan which made it an easy decision to make and that next week’s shuffle is a good time to go.

The main reason there is such suspicion over this is partly because the media want to portray it as an open rebellion, but mainly because the No.10 officials held a press conference at 3 in the morning?! It is a baffling strategy and adds weight to the media’s suspicions unnecessarily.

As I say, this would not have happened under Campbell; and as you rightly say he is very, very unlikely to come back. But the team still needs a shake up as it clearly is in disarray.
Dave Cole
Fri, September 26, 2008 at 12:19 pm | Permalink

I’m not sure that it wouldn’t have happened under Campbell. Someone screwed up; I think it was that, rather than malice. They wanted, that having happened, to draw the poison and as far as possible kill the story.

xD.

Dave Cole’s last blog post..Oyster on mobiles
Garbo
Fri, September 26, 2008 at 7:14 pm | Permalink

I certainly don’t think it was malice either… but I do think it was incompetence.

I do still think Campbell would have handled this differently - not only would he not have been drunk, but he ran a much tighter ship. This isn’t the first time the No.10 machine has made a mess of things in the past few months.