Alastair Campbell’s daughter Grace has spent life ‘competing with Tony Blair for dad’s attention’


Alastair Campbell’s comedian daughter Grace has claimed she’s spent her life competing for her father’s attention with Tony Blair.

The 25-year-old, whose Yorkshire-born father served as the Downing Street press secretary as New Labour began to take shape in the mid-1990s, recalled spending much of her childhood at Number 10.

As a result she spent a lot of time with the Blairs, and told how the former prime minister once called her up to apologise after she was jeered at during a stand-up gig for the Iraq War.

She told The Sunday Mirror’s Notebook magazine: ‘I got heckled about who I am by a drunk woman who shouted, “You’re a war criminal, you’ve got blood on your hands.” 

Grace Campbell, 25,  has candidly spoken about competing with Tony Blair for her father's attention, and growing up in Downing Street

Grace Campbell, 25,  has candidly spoken about competing with Tony Blair for her father’s attention, and growing up in Downing Street

Believing the comments were unfair – as she was only nine when Mr Blair’s government decided to invade Iraq – Grace went on: ‘I told my Dad about it, and he told Tony Blair, and Tony rang me and said, “Oh Gracie, Gracie, I am so sorry this happened to you, this really is all my fault.”

‘In my show I make the joke that I have an exclusive – I’m the first person to get Tony Blair to apologise for the Iraq War.’ 

Recalling the day Mr Blair became the leader of the country, Grace described how she would ‘rather have been at home playing with her new Furbies’, but was told by her mother Fiona Miller – a one-time advisor to Cherie Blaire – that she was instead to go to Downing Street to celebrate Labour’s landslide victory.  

‘Right from birth, I’ve been competing with other people for my father’s attention. Specifically, with Tony Blair,’ Grace told the publication.

The comedian and writer, who is the daughter of Alastair Campbell (left), recalled her far from typical upbringing

The comedian and writer, who is the daughter of Alastair Campbell (left), recalled her far from typical upbringing

The comedian and writer, who is the daughter of Alastair Campbell (left), recalled her far from typical upbringing

Grace's father Alastair (left with Tony Blair) served as the Downing Street press secretary after Labour's landslide victory in 1997

Grace's father Alastair (left with Tony Blair) served as the Downing Street press secretary after Labour's landslide victory in 1997

Grace’s father Alastair (left with Tony Blair) served as the Downing Street press secretary after Labour’s landslide victory in 1997

Grace’s unconventional childhood saw her meet a host of A-list stars, from Geri Halliwell to Boris Johnson, who was Mayor of London at the time.

She shared a box at the O2 with the current prime minister during a Miley Cyrus concert, and recalled how Boris playfully introduced her father to the popstar as his deputy.

Among her memorable moments, Grace recalled going on a trip to the London Eye with the Blairs and Russian president Vladimir Putin and his wife.

She told how Mrs Putin asked Cherie Blair for shop recommendations to buy shoes for her daughters.  

The 25-year-old (pictured right with her father Alastair Campbell) studied politics for her A-Levels before going on to  make her television debut in the Channel 4 feminist prank show Riot Girls in 2018

The 25-year-old (pictured right with her father Alastair Campbell) studied politics for her A-Levels before going on to  make her television debut in the Channel 4 feminist prank show Riot Girls in 2018

The 25-year-old (pictured right with her father Alastair Campbell) studied politics for her A-Levels before going on to  make her television debut in the Channel 4 feminist prank show Riot Girls in 2018

As Mrs Blair began to reel off a number of high brow designers on Bond Street, the writer, who was 10 at the time, took the opportunity to tell the Russian leader’s wife that she need only ‘take the girls to Clarks’. 

As she grew older, Grace, who studied politics for her A-Levels, went on to make her television debut in the Channel 4 feminist prank show Riot Girls in 2018. 

She recently completed her debut stand-up show, Why I’m Never Going Into Politics, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

Pictured: Three-year-old Graced on the day Tony Blair became Prime Minister

Pictured: Three-year-old Graced on the day Tony Blair became Prime Minister

Pictured: Grace meeting Spice Girls star Geri Halliwell as a child

Pictured: Grace meeting Spice Girls star Geri Halliwell as a child

The writer, who was three on the day Tony Blair became prime minister (Ieft), met a number of A-list celebrities while she was growing up including the Geri Halliwell (right)

Grace (pictured with her father Alastair and former Labour leader Ed Miliband) recently completed her debut stand-up show, Why I'm Never Going Into Politics, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Grace (pictured with her father Alastair and former Labour leader Ed Miliband) recently completed her debut stand-up show, Why I'm Never Going Into Politics, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Grace (pictured with her father Alastair and former Labour leader Ed Miliband) recently completed her debut stand-up show, Why I’m Never Going Into Politics, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

The provocative show delves into Grace’s childhood in politics – and she explains why she, as the daughter of Tony Blair’s former spin doctor, chose a career in comedy instead.  

Grace told how she was thrilled when the London Mayor Sadiq Khan went to watch her show and ‘loved it’. 

Alongside her stand-up comedy, Grace is also the co-founder of the Pink Protest, which is a group aimed at engaging the power of young people and utilising online activism. 

Grace recalled being thrilled when the London Mayor Sadiq Khan went to watch her show and 'loved it'

Grace recalled being thrilled when the London Mayor Sadiq Khan went to watch her show and 'loved it'

Grace recalled being thrilled when the London Mayor Sadiq Khan went to watch her show and ‘loved it’