Alastair Campbell signs copies of his book, The Blair Years, at Waterstones bookshop in York

HE was once said to be the second most powerful person in England - and yesterday he was in York, running alongside the River Ouse to the sounds of Dancing Queen.

Alastair Campbell, a self-confessed Abba fan and the former press secretary to Tony Blair, was in York to promote his new book - The Blair Years.

He stayed overnight at The Hilton, before making a flying visit to Waterstones, in HIgh Ousegate, to sign copies of the book - a collection of extracts from his personal diaries.

Mr Campbell, who is flying to America on Sunday to sign more copies of his book, said he had enjoyed his trip to York.

He said: "I went for a run when I arrived in York last night and as I was running down the Ouse I heard Dancing Queen being sung really loud.

"It was pretty authentic and I thought Abba had come back. I have to admit I'm a bit of an Abba fan and I tried to follow the noise to see where it was coming from."

The voices Mr Campbell had heard were those of Abba tribute band, Bjorn Again, who were singing on Knavesmire, during the Music Showcase Meeting at York Racecourse.

But the 50-year-old said his lasting memory of York would be from a trip to Bootham Crescent back in April 1992, when he watched his beloved Burnley win promotion with a 2-1 victory over York City.

As for his book, Mr Campbell said: "It took me two years to transcribe my diaries and another year to edit them.

"If I'm honest it was a slog, but it was also quite therapeutic trying to work out what I really thought about what had happened.

"I hope what it does, is show that in the end, politics is just human beings trying to do what they think is the right thing.

"I actually like Tony Blair and respected him more at the end than at the beginning.

"He has done an amazing job in incredibly difficult circumstances and I hope people will see his humanity."

12:47pm Saturday 28th July 2007

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