Blair's 'fearless' spin doctor steps down

The Prime Minister's director of communications, Alastair Campbell, has resigned his position, it was announced today.

It had been no secret that Mr Campbell was considering his position of late and had even considered leaving Downing Street last summer. His partner Fiona Millar was press officer for Cherie Blair but she is due to leave her post in the coming weeks. A date for his departure has not yet been set, but he will go at the same time as Ms Millar. Mr Campbell's successor will be announced "shortly".

In a statement released this afternoon, Mr Campbell praised Tony Blair – the man he has served since the Sedgefield MP ascended to the leadership of the Labour Party in 1994 – as a man whom "history will judge as a great transforming leader of the Labour Party, and a great transforming Prime Minister".

For his part, Tony Blair paid tribute to his press aide as an "immensely able, fearless, loyal servant".

"He is a strong character who can make enemies but those who know him best, like him best. His contribution to the Labour Party’s modernisation, and electoral success, was enormous.

"He was, is and will remain a good friend," he added.

Mr Campbell said that he has no plans to "take on another big job", but would do a "variety of different things" such as writing, broadcasting and making speeches.

On his reasons for leaving, the spin doctor, described earlier today by Labour MP Tony Benn as a "man with more power than a cabinet minister," said that despite the obvious allures of being at the centre of government decision making, the demands of the job had put enormous pressure on home and family life.

"It is your family that pays a price. Fiona will be leaving Downing Street at the same time, in a few weeks, and intends to return to freelance journalism. We have three wonderful children and we look forward to spending a lot more time with them," he said.

Mr Campbell's statement added: "I look back with pride and satisfaction at the role I have been able to play in helping to modernise the Labour Party, in helping the Party secure two great election victories and, more important, in the help I have given the Prime Minister and other Ministers in making the historic changes the government has made to our economy, our society, and Britain’s role in the world."

(gmcg)