Alastair Campbell: 'Every politician in Britain needs psychiatric help'

Every politician in Britain needs to see a psychiatrist, ex-Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell has claimed.

Campbell said "100%" of all British politicians would benefit from psychiatric help, claiming it would help them deal with stress and make them better leaders.

But Tony Blair's former spokesman claimed politicians are put off the idea by the fear of newspaper headlines such as “Cameron has a shrink”.

Mr Campbell also revealed that he encouraged Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to get couple's counselling to improve their relationship.

Gordon Brown and Tony Blair pictured together in 1997. Credit: PA Wire

Blair apparently responded to the idea by saying: “I am prepared to think out of the box. But not that far.”

Mr Campbell's comments feature his new book, Winners and How They Succeed, which is being serialised in The Sunday Times.

Campbell added: “Sport is predominantly a physical activity, and yet hardly any of these top sports guys go without proper psychological support.

"And yet politics, which is primarily intellectual, mental, psychological — most of them don’t have any psychological support at all.”