I never lied to journalists in Downing St, says Campbell

ALASTAIR Campbell has claimed he never lied to journalists during his time in Downing Street.

Tony Blair’s spin chief refused to accept that New Labour was responsible for a reduction in the trust of politicians.

In an interview on the BBC’s Newsnight, Mr Campbell attempted to deflect blame on to the media.

He said: ‘If you look at the whole time that I was doing the job, I think the reason it became so controversial was because the media was changing so fast.

‘The media landscape was changing out of all recognition.’

Asked if he ever told a direct lie to the media, Mr Campbell replied: ‘No, because when I was doing briefings, for example, I felt the same pressure that Tony Blair felt when he was at the despatch box.’

He added: ‘I do think that the real corrosion of trust has come from the fact that most spin these days actually comes from journalists and that is now ventilated by social media where everybody can do the same.’ Mr Campbell’s accounts appear to contradict those of journalists.

Adam Boulton, former Sky News political editor, wrote in a 2008 book about Blair’s reign that for Campbell ‘truth took a back seat to the cause’.

He added: ‘On one occasion the fact of whether a reshuffle was taking place or not depended on whether Blair was in London or Chequers. Campbell confidently told me that the prime minister was enjoying a country weekend. He wasn’t. He and Campbell were closeted in No 10 working out the reshuffle.

‘ “Sorry Adam, you know why I had to tell you that,” Campbell apologised later. A simple refusal to answer my question would have been preferable.’