When I think of the action that needs to be taken, I think of an ecosystem. So there's the visible part and that tends to be the Quonkul hippies on the street. But then there's lots of other people who are working, you know, who are trying to get closer to power. And it has to go back to the point of my note, it has to be messaging that speaks to a much wider audience than those who are already with you. That's my point. The danger of the kind of hippie on the street approach is that you want to be.
But What Can I Do?
That’s the title of Alastair Campbell’s latest book, a passionate treatise on how broken politics is and what to do about it. His answer? Teaching the youth to oust the old.
Alastair’s message is simple: Learn how to campaign and don’t stop til you win. The original spin doctor, Alastair has decades of experience campaigning as a strategist for Tony Blair’s New Labour government, and then as a mental health campaigner. He’s a prolific writer, co-host of the UK’s top podcast, The Rest is Politics, and remains one of the UK’s most sought-after strategists.
We discuss what the climate campaign needs. Alastair emphasises the importance of getting both power and people onboard, stressing the importance of a unified and simply message to inspire action. He addresses the levers and systems which need to be utilised in Power and Politics, and details the roadblocks of Populism and Polarisation. Finally, we discuss the reality of politicking vs the urgency of the crisis before I ask:
Will you help?
“If enough people get engaged and enough people get involved, don't underestimate the power and the agency that we all have as individuals and, obviously, working together with other people.”
© Rachel Donald
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