The Big Issue in Scotland | Home

You are not logged in, Login

Alastair Campbell: My Marr wobble was 'unplanned'

08/02/2010

Former spin doctor says BBC interview not an act

Alastair Campbell has laughed off
claims that his emotional “moment” on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show yesterday morning was carefully designed to show his “touchy feely” human side.

In an interview with The Big Issue, the former Downing Street communications director rejected suggestions that either he or Gordon Brown, who is said to have become very emotional during an interview with Piers Morgan, were keen to show their vulnerability.

“It is amazing to listen to people talking about how it must of been some great plan,” he said. “I can assure you there was no plan. Apparently it was all about road testing Gordon’s emotional strategy on Piers Morgan’s show.”

Some commentators have been cynical about Campbell telling Marr "I've been through a lot..." Despite messages of support, talk radio phone-ins nationwide have also been swamped with people insisting the display was more simply spin to help sell a book.

A number of pundits have also suggested Gordon Brown's reaction to Morgan's questioning (set for broadcast Sunday February 14) was planned in order to bring people round to the beleaguered PM and hasten an election before the presumed May 6 date.

Campbell explained the pressure he had been under as a result of the Iraq inquiry, and why he became visibly upset by Marr’s relentless questioning. “Having been through the Chilcot inquiry…then you unwind a bit, and even though I was there (on The Andrew Marr Show) out of choice to talk about the novel, I had the feeling that ‘Oh God, I’m back in this bloody media bubble again’.

"I had this feeling that’s there’s nothing I can say that’s remotely going to persuade Andrew Marr – it’s almost become a dialogue of the deaf.”

Read the full interview in next week’s Big Issue – out on Monday February 15.

 


Have your say

Loading...

Leave a comment 500 Characters Remaining

You have to be registered and signed in to post a comment

More News...

Nobel Laureate tackles Big Issues

Justice, poverty and philosophy on the agenda at Book Festival talk

Comment here

Top Scots authors' jail plea

Call for publishers to send prisoners pulp fiction

Comment here

Mackerel war hits the North Sea

Furious Scots fishermen call for Iceland clampdown

2 comments

Sir Alex pays tribute to friend and "great Govan man"

Manchester United legend honours the late Jimmy Reid

Comment here

Free festival for Big Issue vendors

Universal Arts give magazine sellers free tickets for shows

Comment here

Scots urged to dig deep for Pakistan flood victims

Aid agencies pooling resources to launch fundraising appeal

Comment here

Health gap between rich and poor getting wider

Inequality at record high and set to get worse, say researchers

Comment here

Housing benefit cuts will create 'ghettos'

Coalition government warned 200,000 people at risk of homelessness

Comment here

Charlotte Church makes low-key comeback

Singer admits nicking new style...

1 comment

Demand grows for 'living wage'

Cuts will not stop efforts to end in-work poverty, say campaigners

Comment here