Martin Kettle
Encyclopedia
Martin James Kettle is a British
journalist
and author
. The son of two prominent communist activists Arnold Kettle (best remembered as a literary critic, 1916–86) and Margot Kettle (née Gale) (1916–95), Martin Kettle was educated at Leeds Modern School
and Balliol College, Oxford University
.
Kettle worked for the National Council for Civil Liberties
as a research officer from 1973. He then began his career in journalism as home affairs correspondent for New Society (1977–81) and moved to The Sunday Times
in 1981, working as a political correspondent for three years. He has been with The Guardian
since 1984 and also wrote regularly for Marxism Today
in its later years. He writes a column on classical music
in Prospect
magazine.
Kettle is best known as a columnist for The Guardian
, where he is assistant editor, having worked as the newspaper's Washington D.C. bureau chief 1997-2001. He was formerly a leader writer
(1993–97) and chief leader writer 2001 onwards. Martin Kettle has often defended New Labour and Tony Blair
(a personal friend) - though not over the Iraq war. However, he thinks the David Cameron
-led coalition has had a positive effect on the country. He has been dismissed by John Pilger
as Blair's "most devoted promoter".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. The son of two prominent communist activists Arnold Kettle (best remembered as a literary critic, 1916–86) and Margot Kettle (née Gale) (1916–95), Martin Kettle was educated at Leeds Modern School
Leeds Modern School
Leeds Modern School in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England was founded on 14 July 1845 by Mr S. Twist in Rossington Street as the Mathematical and Commercial School...
and Balliol College, Oxford University
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
Kettle worked for the National Council for Civil Liberties
Liberty (pressure group)
Liberty is a pressure group based in the United Kingdom. Its formal name is the National Council for Civil Liberties . Founded in 1934 by Ronald Kidd and Sylvia Crowther-Smith , the group campaigns to protect civil liberties and promote human rights...
as a research officer from 1973. He then began his career in journalism as home affairs correspondent for New Society (1977–81) and moved to The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
in 1981, working as a political correspondent for three years. He has been with The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
since 1984 and also wrote regularly for Marxism Today
Marxism Today
Marxism Today was the theoretical journal of the Communist Party of Great Britain and was disestablished in 1991. It was particularly important during the 1980s under the editorship of Martin Jacques...
in its later years. He writes a column on classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
in Prospect
Prospect
Prospect may refer to:* Prospect , a Scottish architecture magazine* Prospect High School , various high schools* Prospect House, the former President's residence and current faculty club of Princeton University...
magazine.
Kettle is best known as a columnist for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, where he is assistant editor, having worked as the newspaper's Washington D.C. bureau chief 1997-2001. He was formerly a leader writer
Editorial
An opinion piece is an article, published in a newspaper or magazine, that mainly reflects the author's opinion about the subject. Opinion pieces are featured in many periodicals.-Editorials:...
(1993–97) and chief leader writer 2001 onwards. Martin Kettle has often defended New Labour and Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
(a personal friend) - though not over the Iraq war. However, he thinks the David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
-led coalition has had a positive effect on the country. He has been dismissed by John Pilger
John Pilger
John Richard Pilger is an Australian journalist and documentary maker, based in London. He has twice won Britain's Journalist of the Year Award, and his documentaries have received academy awards in Britain and the US....
as Blair's "most devoted promoter".