Alastair Campbell talks to Hannah Stephenson about power, politics and happiness.

ALASTAIR Campbell is not happy. His partner, Cherie Blair’s former adviser Fiona Millar, is having the carpets cleaned during our interview at their north London home and he can’t stand the noise.

But his obvious irritation at the hum of the cleaners fades when he focuses on the job in hand – to plug his latest volume of diaries, Power And The People, which covers 1997-99 and follows on from The Blair Years, published three years ago.

This second volume of his diaries, a whopping 746 pages of them, charts the first two years of the Labour government after the landslide victory and the massive events which followed – the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Northern Ireland peace process, the friendship forged with Bill Clinton and the campaign against ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.

Then there are the scandals – Robin Cook leaving his wife for Gaynor Regan, Bernie Ecclestone’s controversial £1m donation, and more.

The book isn’t an uplifting read, due to Campbell’s frequent bouts of depression and obvious irritation in dealing with certain people on a day-to-day basis. Gordon Brown, Cherie Blair, Peter Mandelson and even his mate Tony Blair receive short shrift at times.

“I think that sometimes my judgments were harsh,” he admits. “Gordon could be impossible but he was also superb in so many ways.”

Even when things were going well, Campbell, 53, writes of his battles with depression, having gone without a proper break for years. His doctor at one point tells him the three main upheavals in his medical history – acute asthma, a nervous breakdown and a serious stomach complaint – are all connected with anger.

It’s an exhausting read, such is the frenetic pace of events in a hugely pressurised environment involving massive decisions and a melting pot of personalities with egos and ruthless ambition.

Today, Campbell believes he may have mellowed and is probably easier to live with than he was when he was Blair’s director of communications and strategy.

“I’m more relaxed now,” he says, “but I work every day.

I was up at half-six today writing something.”

Born in Keighley, Yorkshire, the son of a vet, after graduating from Cambridge University in modern languages he went into journalism and became a political correspondent.

Bouts of depression and a drinking problem followed, leading to a breakdown in 1986 which has been well documented, but Campbell received treatment and worked his way back up to become political editor of the Daily Mirror before joining Blair when he became leader of the Labour Party in 1994.

These days, he divides his time between writing, speaking, charitable fundraising, politics and campaigns and is an avid Twitter and Facebook fan, saying he has more than 50,000 followers.

Is he happy? “I’m not sure happiness is what it’s all about. After I left in 2003, I went through more frequent bouts of depression.

“Now, most days I feel happy, fine and good but it’s always connected to feeling that you’re doing something worthwhile.”

Another two volumes of his diaries will be out this year and he also wants to write a novel about a coalition government.

* The Alastair Campbell Diaries Vol 2: Power And The People 1997-1999 is published by Hutchinson, £25.