In 1941 he was commissioned into the Royal Army Service Corps; he served in North Africa and Italy.
He practised in family law, principally on the Northern circuit, and served on the Bar Council from 1956 to 1960 and from 1965 to 1970.
An active member of the Conservative Party, Campbell fought the seat of Manchester Gorton at the 1955 general election.
He fought Oldham West in the 1966 election, and when the sitting Labour MP Leslie Hale announced his retirement due to ill health, Campbell was a natural choice for the local Conservative Association.
Campbell lost his seat at the 1970 general election by 1,675 votes, and returned to the Bar where he had practised occasionally while a Member of Parliament.
In 1983, Campbell's motor cruiser Papyrus was detained at Ramsgate by HM Customs & Excise, who removed 10 cases of whisky, 9,460 cigarettes and 500 grams of tobacco on which duty had not been paid.