Alastair Campbell: Labour can gain ground in Shropshire

The former Government communications chief was speaking to the Shropshire Star ahead of his appearance at Oswestry Literary Festival on March 19.

And in a wide-ranging interview, he took aim at Prime Minister David Cameron, saying he wants to be Prime Minister "but doesn't know why", and described Ukip leader Nigel Farage as "clapped out".

He also backed Ed Miliband's plans for the economy, but warned against predicting the outcome of May's General Election.

"There's a lot of Tory shire MPs but it doesn't mean they understand all the pressures there are on people working in the rural economy," he said.

"To win a majority, the truth is Labour has got to be winning seats that have maybe been seen as traditionally Conservative, as we've done in the past.

"Some seats are more winnable than others. It's not necessarily natural Labour territory but it doesn't mean there aren't seats that Labour can win.

"I don't sense a yearning for the Government to return, whereas in 2001 I really felt people wanted us back."

Mr Campbell spoke of his agricultural upbringing – his dad was a vet and his mother a farmer's daughter.

"We always used to get told we don't understand the countryside," he said. "I was from a pretty agricultural background and a lot of my relatives are farmers."

He recalled the foot and mouth outbreak, which he lists as one of five genuine crises he faced in Downing Street.

He said: "We met a representative of the NFU somewhere and just got a sense that we had underestimated how bad it was.

"That was when Tony said we have to throw absolutely everything at this. It was a pretty horrific period, to be honest."

Mr Campbell is among a wide range of speakers lined up for the festival, which will begin next week.

He will be promoting his new book Winners And How They Succeed, which includes interviews with the likes of Jose Mourinho and Anna Wintour.

"As a country we should have more of a winning mindset," he said. "It's a good thing and I've learned a lot from talking to these people – whether Mourinho on strategy or Anna Wintour on leadership."

For the full interview see today's Shropshire Star