Personal Statement
I joined the Department of Politics as a Lecturer in Political Communication in September 2015, and was promoted to Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in 2018. Prior to joining Liverpool I was a Research and Teaching Fellow at the University of Leeds (POLIS) with particular focus on British Foreign Policy, Research Methods and Study Skills, and British Political Ideologies. Prior to this I was awarded my PhD in 2011 under the supervision of Prof Brendan Evans and Prof Jim McAuley.

My research specialises in political communication, Parliamentary behaviour, and UK political institutions. My scholarship has appeared in 30+ world leading international journals; 10+(co)-authored/edited books; and 12+ chapters for academic collections. I have also submitted published evidence based on my research to House of Commons Select Committees on the quality of political discourse and how it might be improved to ensure democratic norms are protected. This demonstrates the political value of my published scholarship to communication and democratic discourse.

In June 2024, I completed a term as a Trustee on the Political Studies Association (PSA) Executive Committee, whereby I coordinated a national competition of A-level students on what politics means to the next generation. Alongside this, I am a co-convenor (with David Jeffery, Zeena Mistry, Hull, and Christopher Fear, Hull) of the PSA Politics of the Right Specialist Group and (with Sophia Hatzisavvidou, Bath) co-convenor of the PSA Specialist Group in 'Rhetoric, Discourse, and Politics'.. In 2017 I won the prestigious PSA 'Richard Rose Prize' for my "doubly pioneering" research into the study of British Politics. In the same year I also won a Learning and Teaching Team award, as well as a commendation for public engagement with the Europe and the World Centre.

I am a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the HEA Advance-HE having completed a qualification in Professional Higher Education Practice. In July 2024, I graduated with an MA in Academic Practice which focused on technology in education and the use of frameworks in student skills development. Prior to this, I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Academic Practice (Merit) in 2021 with a particular focus on leadership and teaching innovations within political studies. Both qualifications updated my previous qualification in Higher Education practice and included updates on innovations approaches to authentic teaching in module and assessment design.

My teaching modules spread across each learning level from first year to postgraduate. For example, I am the module leader of the large first year module POLI101 British Politics I, which introduces students to UK parties, rhetoric, gendered issues, media relations, devolution, general elections, and foreign policy. I also convene two signature modules looking at political communication. The first specialist module (POLI252 Political Communication and Public Speaking) offers students practical experience of speech writing and delivery on a political issue that they are passionate. The second specialist module (POLI323 Theory and Practice of Rhetoric in British Politics) links ancient rhetorical theories with contemporary practice in the UK. The module covers critical discourse analysis, oratorical arenas, and drivers of ideological language. I am also the module leader of a team-taught second year module (POLI263 British Foreign Policy) which looks at Britain's historical and contemporary global roles, and from September 2025 became the module leader of POLI550 Public Policy Dissertation, which is part of a newly launched MA in Public Administration and Policy (developed by Prof Andrew Russell).

I have also examined internal and external doctoral vivas on subjects such as Northern Ireland political parties and their depths of support; Jeremy Corbyn's leadership style of the Labour Party, alongside supervising doctoral research on political attitudes to industrial action and attitudes towards commercialism in the modern and ancient world(s).

At School level I am the Chair of the Board of Examiners and the HLC Academic Assessment Lead. I established the 'Board of Examiners Working Group' which is comprised of education leaders across the School. The Group acts as a Forum to discuss proposals and make decisions for changes to practice across the School. The aim is to enhance the student experience and assessment practice through implementing institutional innovations such as Curriculum 2027 and Strategy 2031. The Working Group also coordinates means of protecting the integrity of all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the School, alongside maintaining the overall degree quality of our graduates in line with the remit of the Board of Examiners. The Group pioneered the introduction of an auditing policy across the School for all students at any stage of their education. I am also a member of the Faculty Academic Quality and Standards Committee which examines module changes across HLC, and makes recommendations for change (if required), and I am also a member of the School Ethical Review College, and the EDI Committee whereby I aim to promote LGBTQ+ and mental health issues.

For the Faculty, I am an Academic Quality and Standards Reviewer, whereby I monitor the intellectual & logistical cohesion of programmes of study across Humanities and Social Sciences. The role includes reporting on the implementation of University governance and standards to the AQSC, as well as embedding the Liverpool Curriculum Framework within our programmes, alongside mentoring colleagues on completing processes for proposed new programmes and/or re-validation.

My departmental responsibilities included a four year term as Politics' Undergraduate Curriculum Lead (2016-2020) whereby I worked with colleagues to oversee the reform and expansion of the undergraduate politics curriculum through embedding authentic assessments, global citizenship, digital skills, student confidence, prioritising research led-teaching and digital skills across our existing and new module provision. I also completed a successful three year term as the Departmental Lead for Postgraduate Teaching (2019-2023) which included developing and acting as the Director of Studies for the MA in Political Science and International Relations. The popularity of the new MA programmes can be attributed to the design of new modules that places students first with innovative and professional teaching and assessment methods. I was also a member of the 'Politics Leadership Team' between 2019 and 2022 which acted as the forum for strategic decision making and planning. I have also recently completed a two year term as the Politics Alumni Officer, (2023-2025). I have also acted as the Moderator for the Department of International Studies at XJTLU (2019-2024) and as the External Examiner for the Department of Politics at York St John (2018-2022).

Media Engagements

I contribute my expertise in political communication regularly on UK national and international broadcast or print media. Topics I have discussed include Winston Churchill's legacy and memory for BBC Breakfast, the communicative performances of UK Prime Ministers for BBC Radio, the problems facing Keir Starmer and the end of his leadership for Time Magazine, whether the Conservatives had any prospects of winning the 2024 General Election for The Daily Express, and whether the Labour Party could recover from its bumpy start after returning to power for the Xinhau Network, amongst many others.

My expert analyses focus on political events and/or controversies, keynote speeches, candidate selection and election outcomes, political scandals, diplomatic relations between the UK and the US/EU, the conflict in Russia, the Middle East, and the growth of China and India as significant global players. I have also provided insights into contemporary British Politics including leadership and rhetorical issues affecting the Conservative Party, the Labour Party, Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP, Northern Ireland, amongst others. I have also spoken to the media on political attitudes to morality, social policy, mental health policy, amongst other areas. Within these areas I have contributed expertise on political speeches, narrative and persona, general, bi, and local election(s), successful (and failing) leadership styles, controversial moments such as unscheduled reshuffles or resignations, and wider challenges facing parties and/or individual politicians.

If you would like to book me for a media appearance, please contact me directly via email or via University Media Office to arrange a convenient time to discuss your needs.

Research Overview
I am a specialist in Political Communication, rhetorical theory, language in leadership and within institutions. My particular focus is on Political Communication on which I have written and/or edited a number of books and journal articles. At present my Google Scholar citations are 915 with a h-index of 17 and a i10-index of 28.

My research interest in Political Communication examines how the language used by politicians informs the health of a liberal democratic society. I do this by applying ancient world theories pertaining to political oratory and rhetoric upon contemporary political leaders and concepts. This enables me to produce original research across a number of sub-fields within British Politics which include Parliamentary behaviour, Conservative Party politics, Labour Party politics and the study of political ideology.

Moreover, I also sit on the Editorial Boards of two interdisciplinary international journals focused on communication and discourse. The first is Global Discourse, and the second is the 'Humanities & Social Sciences Communications' journal. As an active member of both, I nominate reviewers and accept/decline research papers, as required. Internally, I am also a co-director (with Dr David Jeffery and Prof Bruce Gibson) of the Network for the Interface of Classics and Politics; and the departmental research cluster for Government, Parties and Elections (led by Dr Luca Bernardi). Also as part of my continuing professional development, I completed a study using phenomenography (within the broader field of interpretivism) to examine 'entertaining videos' as educational tools. This included an examination of institutional curriculum frameworks and their importance to solidifying improved learning standards and outcomes.

My research publications focused on political communication have appeared in Global Discourse, Contemporary British History, Politics and Religion, and the Journal of Legislative Studies. As part of the project I have also produced a series of knowledge exchange 'think pieces' for Political Quarterly, The Fabian Review, Political Insight, and Renewal: Journal of Social Democracy, as well as online outlets such as The Conversation, the UK in a Changing Europe, and the ECPR blog 'The Loop'.. I have also produced a special edition of the Global Discourse journal, which focused on political oratory and rhetoric from the ancient world to the modern. A second special edition is currently in production and is due for release in 2026. Both these special editions benefit from the contributory support of leading international scholars focused on rhetorical theory.

A further research project (with Oliver Booth) is a substantive study of Boris Johnson's rhetorical style whilst he was Prime Minister. This will produce a monograph, and is under contract with Manchester University Press. The book is due for completion during 2026, and will be my third co-authored work. Previously, I have (co)-authored a study of leadership selection entitled Choosing Party Leaders: Britain's Labour and Conservative Party Compared (with Prof Peter Dorey (Cardiff) and Dr Andrew Denham (Nottingham)), and a further study (with Dr Heppell (Leeds) and Prof Dorey (Cardiff)) analysed political communication using the rhetorical theories from the ancient world. This produced a book entitled 'The Political Rhetoric and Oratory of Margaret Thatcher', which was published by Palgrave in 2016. I have also recently contributed a chapter on Theresa May's leadership to the updated book on British Conservative Leaders for Biteback (edited by Prof Toby James (UEA), fmr Home Secretary, Prof Charles Clarke (UEA), Prof Tim Bale (Queen Mary), and Prof Patrick Diamond (Queen Mary).

Moreover, I am the (co)-editor and organiser of a several academic studies that have appeared with Palgrave, Manchester University Press, Agenda Publishers, and Biteback. My current projects (with Dr Jeffery) examines the failed "statecraft" of Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak during the final term of the previous Conservative government. This project includes an academic workshop in July 2025, and is due for completion in 2026. Moreover, for Routledge we are developing a substantive study of 50+ chapters that comprises the complete guide to the history and contemporary politics and management of the Conservative Party'. This is also due for publication in 2026. Both projects involve established and early career historians, sociologists, and political experts of conservatism and Conservative Party studies which will produce comprehensive studies of the Party, leaderships, and its multifaceted evolution. These projects are also the basis of a series of events including academic symposiums and knowledge exchange events over the term of the projects.

Completed collaborative projects include (with David Jeffery) "statecraft" and the political leadership of Theresa May's time as leader of the Conservative Party, (Palgrave). This followed an academic study on Jeremy Corbyn's time and legacy as leader of the Labour Party (Agenda Publishers), and an academic study (with Dr Heppell, Leeds) on the legacy of Edward Heath entitled Policies and Politics Under Prime Minister Edward Heath (Palgrave) and his significance on British conservatism and Conservative Party politics. Moreover, I have completed academic studies on the legacies of Harold Wilson (with Dr Kevin Hickson) and the styles of communication in the US, examining Republican Orators (with Dr Sophia Hatzisavvidou, Bath) and Democratic Orators (with Dr David S. Moon, Bath; and Prof Robert Lehrman, American University, Washington DC). I have produced collections that examine communication styles in UK political parties, such as Conservative Orators (with Dr Richard Hayton, Leeds) and Labour Orators (with Dr Hayton, Leeds).

Finally, with David Jeffery and Timothy Heppell (Leeds) I have contributed to quantitative studies analysing MPs voting behaviour in the UK House of Commons. Themes within the project included (but not limited to) attitudes towards leadership selection; international aid; Brexit. These studies appeared in leading national and international academic journals such as the Journal of Common Market Studies; Parliamentary Affairs; the British Journal of Politics and International Relations; Journal of Elections, Public Opinion, and Parties; British Politics, and Representation. My contributions to the project concluded in 2026 following a series of successful and innovate peer reviewed publications.

In Memoriam of Dr Judi Atkins

Following the tragic passing of our beloved colleague, Dr Judi Atkins in 2021, I presented a 'memorial tribute' to Judi at the Annual Anglo-American Studies Roundtable in Prague. She was a respected and defining scholar in political communication, and appears heavily on POLI252 & POLI323 reading lists. The tribute can be read here.