Alastair Campbell, the former Labour spin doctor, entertained the audience at The Rest is Politics live podcast in Glasgow on Saturday night by sharing one of his most outrageous ideas from his time in Downing Street.

According to The Press Gazette, the podcast racked up an impressive 21.6 million views during the election campaign period between 22 May and 5 July, solidifying its position as the most popular political podcast.

Writers from CeltsAreHere were in the audience as the duo engaged in a laid-back conversation during the first half of the show, followed by a lively session of audience questions in the second half.

Given they were in Glasgow, the hosts decided to delve into one of Alastair Campbell’s bold ideas from his time advising the Labour government.

In a bold move to promote the Good Friday Agreement, Campbell revealed that he had once proposed relocating a Celtic vs. Rangers derby from Glasgow to Belfast, with an even more shocking twist — having the two rival clubs swap kits for the match!

The idea, outlined in a letter dated April 1998, was addressed to then-Prime Minister Tony Blair, Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam, and Scottish Secretary Donald Dewar. Campbell believed that holding the derby in Northern Ireland could serve as a powerful symbol of unity and peace. However, the proposal was swiftly dismissed as a step too far.

Campbell claimed he had a “direct in” with Celtic and intended to contact Sir Alex Ferguson to persuade Rangers to participate. Unsurprisingly, the plan never came to fruition. The audience at Saturday’s event had a good laugh as Campbell recounted the story, admitting that the idea was, in hindsight, quite misguided.