He [Tony Blair] was always ambivalent about the [Rupert] Murdoch papers. But he gave other papers the chance to believe it was just about 'The Independent.' And that was wrong.

Sometimes Jonathan [Powell] and myself would go to Tony [Blair] and ask him if he was absolutely sure about this or that. That was our job. But ultimately it was his decision.

Like most meaningful activities, campaigns are team games.

In an ideal world, it would not take a film star to get the media focused on mental illness.

The junk food of political journalism...all reshuffle stories are crap.

The media are obsessed with spin doctors and with portraying them as a bad thing, yet seem addicted to our medicine.

I want to write more books, see my first novel made into a film, fight more campaigns, work in more countries. I want to be able to recall experiences that have endured for their pleasure and range and intensity.