Life on Marr

Anyone who saw Alistair Campbell on the Andrew Marr show yesterday (Sun) can’t fail to have an opinion on it. I confess to missing the interview as it went out live but I have heard a lot of what Alistair Campbell has had to say about the interview on BBC radio today. I have a great deal of respect for Marr. In my view he is Britain’s pre-eminent political broadcaster and he is usually essential viewing on a Sunday morning. But of late? It’s odd. Politicians of all parties should be scrutinised and journalists in Marr’s position should obsess about detail. Good journalists and a powerful, effective fourth estate are essential for democracy to work well – perhaps more now than ever before due to the explosion of so many different means of mass communication. But as scholars and journalists assess the breakdown in public trust betweeen politicians and the public,...