About My PHD
Why Politicians Switch Sides and Shape History…
My name is Josh Wright, and I’m a PhD researcher at the University of Nottingham, diving into the fascinating and often dramatic history of UK parliamentary defections. My work explores the intriguing stories behind why MPs switch political allegiances—and how these pivotal moments reshape British politics. Alongside my studies, I’ve honed strong cross-cultural communication skills by working full-time for an international student charity, organising community-building events that brought people together from around the world.
As a passionate podcast enthusiast who consumes hours of audio storytelling daily, I’m constantly inspired by podcasts’ power to illuminate complex political histories and spark conversations that matter. After completing my PhD, I’m eager to bring my research, storytelling skills, and infectious enthusiasm for political narratives to a career in podcast production.
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LAtest Posts
My latest musings on my PhD research, podcast listening and other stuff…
In one of my lower-brow but incredibly joyful cinema excursions, I recently watched the latest Looney Tunes film, Coyote VS ACME. While there’s much that could be said about this movie – from the impressive scenes between live-action humans and non-verbal cartoons to the fact that it was loosely based on a New Yorker article…
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The End of Oak Street is Hollywood’s latest dinosaur flick. In many ways the movie is a cliche, from its Spielbergian 80’s suburb to the underlying family drama as sharp-toothed prehistoric nasties prey on the beloved pet dog. That said, there is one way in which the movie stands out and that is in its depiction…
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It’s rare that I laugh aloud while reading. Humour is a funny thing, and it’s striking when words on a page prove capable of tickling out an audible response. Still, that’s what occurred when reading the Labour to Liberal MP Christopher Mayhew’s autobiography, Time to Explain. Though amusingly written throughout, the anecdote that particularly got…
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Of all the places to have a minor PhD epiphany I wasn’t expecting it to be the Emergency Services Museum in Sheffield. On the face of it, my topic, the history of British MP’s switching political parties has no relevance to a museum filled with police, fire service and ambulance related exhibitions. That’s why I…
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Quick update on an article I previously published on Diary of a CEO. Back in January, I covered how the podcast was attempting to redeem its reputation by introducing a questionable, if well-intentioned, fact-checking system. Though I criticised the company’s arrogance in attempting to spin the measure as “trailblazing”, I also acknowledged that any meaningful effort…
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Having recently written a blog on how moved I was by the sincerity and affection shown in Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery’s letters to Alan Howarth, I was reminded of an altogether less endearing anecdote concerning Roy Jenkins’s correspondence. In reading John Campbell’s excellent Roy Jenkins: A Well-Rounded Life, I was struck by Jenkins’s fondness for ranking,…
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