Although Alastair Campbell no longer works in politics, he remains a divisive figure in Westminster thanks to the reputation he earned as Tony Blair's spin doctor. During this time, Campbell is said to have been instrumental in using spin to win parliamentary approval for Blair's call to invade Iraq.

Still, Campbell appears to think that it's about time people got over any ill-feelings towards him as a result of this. Speaking at Portland's Rising Stars party, Campbell gave a speech to the spin doctors of tomorrow. In this, he complained that even though he left Downing Street 12 years ago, he still gets 'load of sh-t':

“ 'I always feel when I'm in a room full of education people that I should apologise, because at some point in your career you will be called a spin doctor and that is probably partly down to me.

However, bad you get it you do not get it as bad as I do. I left Downing Street twelve years ago and I still get loads of sh-t.'

It's not just Campbell who gets 'sh-t' either. He has also managed to cast a shadow on another man's life -- his namesake. A man by the name of Alastair Campbell approached Campbell recently to let him know the hardship he had faced as a result of the pair sharing the same name:

“ 'I was just about to get on a train to see my football team win yet again. This guy comes over to me as I'm getting on the train and he says 'oh you're Alastair Campbell aren't you?' and I say yes I am.

He says 'my name's Alastair Campbell as well, have you got any idea what my life has been like?'

Mr S suspects that Campbell's namesake isn't the only one who has reason to feel hard done by the former Labour spinner.