in july 2017, he was invited to speak at the french national assembly to the newly elected mps of president emmanuel macron's victorious en marche party, campbell having met and advised macron during the campaign. he used the event and a number of high-profile french media interviews to urge the french to be patient with the united kingdom, and give them a chance to change course and reverse brexit. he said macron had been bolder than tony blair in setting up a new party and leading it to power within little over a year.