throughout his time in downing street, campbell kept a diary which reportedly totalled some two million words. selected extracts, titled "the blair years", were published on 9 july 2007. subsequent press coverage of the book's release included coverage of what campbell had chosen to leave out, particularly in respect of the relationship between blair and his chancellor and successor, gordon brown. campbell expressed an intention to one day publish the diaries in fuller form, and indicated in the introduction to the book that he did not wish to make matters harder for brown in his new role as prime minister, or to damage the labour party.