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From left, Councillor Nick Smith, Alastair Campbell, Labour
Town Hall leader Raj Chada and Frank Dobson |
Spin chief Campbell joins election fray
ALASTAIR Campbell, the spin-doctor who helped mastermind
Tony Blair’s election victories in 1997 and 2002, was drafted
in to help his local party at the launch of Labour’s campaign
for the May local elections on Monday.
Mr Campbell, who lives in Gospel Oak, insisted that he had only
turned up to the Irish Centre in Camden Town as a member of
the local party.
But senior Labour figures are worried that their flagship borough
– Camden is used to pilot numerous government policies
– could lose their majority for the first time in 30 years.
The presence of Mr Campbell has raised questions as to his involvement
in the campaign and indicates how worried Labour in Camden are.
In a speech to members, Mr Campbell said that voters did not
have to choose between “Labour and perfection”.
He added: “It is a choice between having a Labour council
and having the Tories. It’s been between us and them.
“There is a lot of cynicism about government and councils
and what they do but I’m proud to support the Labour government
and the Labour council.
“What we need to do now is go out and say it. Be proud
of what the Labour council has achieved and go and tell people
about it.”
Asked whether his appearance indicated he was worried about
Labour’s chances, Mr Campbell said: “Of course not.
I’m here because I’m a Labour supporter.”
He took a clipboard around the crowd of around 100 members,
asking whether they were willing to hand out leaflets or canvass
door-to-door in the run-up to the ballot. Labour organisers
insisted afterwards that he is not running the local campaign.
Camden’s Labour leader Raj Chada has urged Muslim voters
at the elections not to punish the party for the invasion of
Iraq.
He said that residents should judge the party on how it has
performed in Camden, not on the government’s controversial
foreign policy.
Distancing himself from the war in Iraq – supported by
Mr Campbell – Councillor Chada said: “I was vehemently
opposed to the war in Iraq. I publicly came out against the
war in the New Journal. I wasn’t happy with it.
“But, in the council elections, people should vote on local
issues and Labour’s track record of providing good public
services.”
Camden Conservative deputy leader Andrew Marshall said he was
surprised the Labour party had asked Mr Campbell to come along.
He said: “We are delighted that Alastair Campbell has associated
himself with the Camden Labour launch because it demonstrates
that the Labour group is closely associated with the Blair culture
of spin. It will backfire, and I am amazed they did it.” |
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