Alastair Campbell’s Wild Celtic Rangers Plot Resurfaces at Glasgow Show

Alastair Campbell, former Labour spin doctor, amused the audience at The Rest is Politics live podcast in Glasgow on Saturday night by revealing one of his more outlandish ideas during his time in Downing Street.

The Press Gazette reported that the podcast garnered 21.6 million views in the election campaign period between 22 May and 5 July, making it the most popular political podcast out there.

CeltsAreHere writers were in the audience as the pair had a fairly relaxed chat in the first half, before taking audience questions in the second half.

Because they were in Glasgow, they decided to talk about one of Campbells big ideas while advising the Labour government.

In a bid to promote the Good Friday Agreement, Campbell had proposed moving an derby between Celtic and Rangers from Glasgow to Belfast, with an even more controversial twist — having the two clubs swap kits for the Game!

The idea, detailed in a letter dated April 1998, was addressed to then-Prime Minister Tony Blair, Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam, and Scottish Secretary Donald Dewar.

Campbell believed that staging the derby in Northern Ireland could symbolise unity and peace, but the proposal was quickly deemed a step too far.

Campbell claimed he had a “direct in” with Celtic and would reach out to Sir Alex Ferguson to try and get Rangers on board. Unsurprisingly, the idea never materialised.

Those in attendance at the event on Saturday evening had a good laugh at Alistair explaining the idea, which he accepts was misguided.