My London: Alastair Campbell

The former Labour spin doctor loves West End musicals, hopes to be buried in Highgate Cemetery and is a loyal Burnley fan(atic)
Karen Robinson /eyevine
Anna van Praagh15 March 2018

Home is…

Gospel Oak. One of the city’s best-kept secrets.

Where do you work out?

I have a personal trainer, Keir Kennedy Mitchell, and we work out in my office at home. Five-minute plank. Circuits. Burpees. Boxing. I love boxing.

The last play you saw?

Network at the National starring Bryan Cranston as a TV anchor. He was mind-blowingly brilliant. So was the staging. We went with three Kinnocks — Neil, Steve and Rachel — and their other halves, Glenys, Helle and Stuart.

Who’s your hero?

Paul Fletcher (left). Well, he was when I was a teenage football fanatic and he was a Burnley striker. Now he’s my co-author. The book was his idea.

Rex Features

Favourite pub or club?

Since my troubles with alcohol in the Eighties, I avoid pubs. And my only club is Burnley Football Club.

Bus, taxi or Tube?

I use the Overground if I can. I like the 24 bus for Westminster (it gives me up to an hour to read stuff!) but generally I get the Tube. I was 60 last May so I got my free Oyster pass. Ridiculous, but bloody handy.

Where would you recommend for a first date?

A West End musical, because musicals open the soul and make you feel happy. I’ve seen Jersey Boys about nine times. None of them was a first date, I hasten to add.

Biggest extravagance?

My bikes, and the time and money I spend following Burnley.

Which shops do you rely on?

I hate shopping, especially since my favourite bike shop, Simpson’s, shut down. I do most of my shopping in airports and railway stations.

Where would you like to be buried?

Highgate Cemetery, with my wife Fiona [Millar]. We have a deal that I will go first. I’d be useless on my own. Two of my closest friends, John Merritt and Philip Gould, are already there.

What would you do if you were Mayor for the day?

I would use the side of red buses to remind Londoners that Boris Johnson is a lying bastard. The public could vote on which lie to include. And smart buses could update the lies.

Where in London do you go to let you hair down?

My local barber, Palushi’s. We talk Albanian politics.

Best thing a cabbie has ever said to you?

‘Wanna lift to work?’

Have you ever had a run-in with a policeman?

I got stopped for going through five red lights on my bike. He only got me because I made the mistake of stopping at a hole in the wall to get some cash. I got a warning and I’ve tended to be more careful since.

If you could buy any building in London, which would it be?

I would buy the House of Commons and lock the lobbies so that MPs couldn’t vote to destroy the country with this ruinous Brexit.

Alamy Stock Photo

Who do you call when you want to have fun?

My kids. I prefer their and Fiona’s company to anyone else.

What’s your London secret?

Our bathroom has perfect acoustics for my bagpipes. And our neighbours love it. They complain if I go more than a few days without playing.

‘Saturday Bloody Saturday’ by Alastair Campbell and Paul Fletcher (18.99, Orion) is out now

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in