Politics' podcaster warned off sewage swim

Alastair Campbell took to Budleigh Salterton waters anyway

Former New Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell, who's a marathon runner and cold water swimmer, was warned off taking to the sea off Budleigh Salterton when he appeared at the town's literary festival this week.

Mr Campbell, who was in Budleigh to promote his latest book, But What Can I Do? ignored the words of foreboding, to take a dip nonetheless.

Speaking to the festival media sponsor Radio Exe, Mr Campbell lamented the state of much of the country's infrastructure, which he claims began under former prime minister David Cameron and chancellor George Osborne's 'austerity' programme.

He said it was so remarkable that the two trains he took to reach Devon were on time, he sent a message home to tell his family he "didn't quite believe it...it's a bit of a shock" and suggesting that's indicative of the low standards many people now expect.

He continued: "Even going down to swim in the sea today, people were going 'ooh, you've got to watch out for the sewage.' And I'm thinking, 'You come to a beautiful place by the seaside and you've really got to worry about whether there's brown stuff floating alongside you as you swim. And they [the Tories] have allowed this to happen."

Here Alastair Campbell's full interview with Radio Exe here: