Mr Campbell trained obsessively, running to Downing Street from his Gospel Oak home. But he also showed his other side, raising nearly £300,000 for Leukaemia Research in memory of his journalist friend John Merritt, who died from the disease.In his new life, Mr Campbell will do more work for the charity; friends say a more rounded picture of him will emerge when he leaves the trenches of the media battlefield.The charge of "bullying" extended to civil servants and even ministers. When Labour came to power in 1997, Mr Campbell and Jonathan Powell, Mr Blair's chief of staff, were given special powers to issue orders to neutral officials "Tony wants" and "Alastair wants" were synonymous. Mr Campbell explained yesterday: "I have no power and never have had independent of the Prime Minister who I serve." In other words, he acted with the full authority of his boss He became known as "the real Deputy Prime Minister" The myth was also the reality.
He in effect sacked Peter Mandelson as Northern Ireland Secretary in a briefing for Westminster journalists during the row over his links with the Hinduja brothers.Rory Bremner's parody, showing Mr Campbell bossing Mr Blair around, appeared starkly true when a television documentary on the workings of Downing Street captured them up close and personal. By 2000, Mr Campbell was "becoming the story" the spin doctor's cardinal sin. He withdrew from Downing Street's twice-daily briefings to a backroom role as director of communications. But there was little doubt that he continued to pull the strings. "Spin", Labour's greatest asset in opposition, became its biggest liability in government.Of course, Mr Campbell would never have pursued his last crusade against the BBC if he he had known where it would end. He was devastated by Dr Kelly's death, and knew that he would face some of the blame for prolonging the dispute.Mr Campbell's friends now admit that he should have "moved on", as Mr Blair told the Hutton inquiry he wanted to "By the end, he was out of control," one said. In the short term, it will be difficult to forget the tragic circumstances surrounding Mr Campbell's departure.
The longer term will probably be more favourable.A QUOTABLE SPOKESMANWhat Alastair Campbell said during his time at Downing Street - and what others said about him:¿ I simply say, in relation to the BBC story, it is a lie ... that is continually repeated, and until we get an apology for it I will keep making sure that Parliament and people like yourselves know that it was a lie - to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.¿ What we don't do is sit around wallowing and navel-gazing. What you do is come out fighting and make your case - after Mr Blair's humiliation at the hands of the Women's Institute.¿ The day of the bog-standard comprehensive school is over - explaining the Government's plans for more specialist schools.¿ The day of the daredevil reporter who refuses to see obstacles to getting the truth, and seeing it with his or her own eyes, seems to have died - on reporting of the Kosovo conflict.¿ We don't do God I'm sorry. We don't do God - when asked about Mr Blair's religious views.¿ The Prime Minister is not a gay gangster - responding to attacks by President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.¿ What becomes very clear the longer you go is that Labour councils look after the paving stones better than the Tory councils - while training for the London Marathon.¿ You great quivering jelly of indecision - to the Conservative MP Boris Johnson.¿ Don't worry. He's a reformed drunk- the Prime Minister, explaining to the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, why the teetotaller Mr Campbell was refusing drinks.¿ I hope you redeem yourself with other sins - Mr Putin to Mr Campbell.. Alastair Campbell was in at the start of New Labour, even before the brand name had been devised. As political editor of the Daily Mirror in 1989 he was a regular visitor to Tony Blair's office in the House of Commons.
