Community | February 08, 2010 | 2 comments

Campbell emotional on Marr and critical of the BBC over Iraq

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/andrew_marr_show/8502807.stm

Mcellie
On Sunday morning the former communications chief Alister Campbell appeared on The Andrew Marr Show. During one part of the interview Marr asked about the Iraq Inquiry, with a version of the 'Did Tony Blair mislead Parliament' question. In reply Campbell paused and gave an emotional response into being upset over the constant criticism of Blair and stating 'people aren't interested in the truth'.

Times online reported on a blog entry by Campbell, which criticizes Marr and the BBC's stance on the Iraq War, while furthering the points he expressed in the interview.

"So of course I had expected the kind of questions Marr put on Iraq. I had also been telling myself that given the history between me and the Beeb over Iraq - and Marr was central as he was their political editor at the time of the war, and a key player in the agenda they sought to set - I must not lose my temper, or reopen old wounds.

Fair to say I just about managed it, but it was a struggle. I could certainly have done without his glib introduction, in which he sought to link the September 2002 WMD dossier with the novel, ie my 'latest piece of fiction'."

When watching the interview or reading the blog, what is your reaction?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8502730.stm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7018548.ece

http://www.alastaircampbell.org/blog.php?id=330
  1. groups:
    Community,   News and Politics,   Videos
  2. tags:
    Iraq,  Andrew Marr,  Alistair Campbell
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2 comments // Campbell emotional on Marr and critical of the BBC over Iraq // Video

  • richjm
    • +1
      richjm  

    • Hmm, all seems a bit contrived and fake to me. Alistair Campbell manages to cope with one of the most stressful jobs in politics for years, including his resignation, and it's only now that things get to him? And in the same week that Gordon Brown is said to be unveiling the tears on TV too?

      I think this is part of the election campaign to show Gordon Brown as a person. For some time now, the media and large numbers of voters have said they don't really know what Gordon Brown is like behind the statements and press conferences. David Cameron plays heavily on the 'Dave' persona - the Blairesque every man who likes a pint down the pub with mates and spending time with his family - and it seems to be working.

      In recent interviews, Gordon Brown has admitted he could have done a better job on the presentation side of things and I think that's Labour's new focus now. He's good friends who Piers Morgan, who has described Brown as funny, warm and caring and urged the PM to show the voters that side of him more. It's probably no coincidence that it looks like he's done that during an interview with Piers Morgan and in the instance of Alistair Campbell welling up, he probably saw how well Peter Andre did out of it and thought he'd have a crack himself.

    • 2 years ago
  • guy_gunaratne
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