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Robin Pettitt

Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics, Kingston University

Dr Robin Pettitt is Senior Lecturer at Kingston University - London. He specialises in the internal life of political parties and is currently investigating how parties recruit and retain their activists.

Dr Pettitt's main area of expertise is political parties, especially membership influence on policy making. A particular area of interest has been left wing parties with a formal commitment to intra-party democracy and how this has worked out in practice.

His research focuses on political organisations that serve as conduits between civil society and the state, particularly political parties. His interests have been largely based on national politics, but he is moving into the politics of representation at the EU level. Dr Pettitt also has an interest in the uses and abuses of marketing techniques in politics and in research methodology.

Previous research has focused on the obstacles to membership influence on party policy and how these can be overcome. One main area of attention has been the role of the party conference as a platform for membership dissent. In this context he has carried out extensive work on the Labour Party conference and how it has been managed by the party leadership so as to present a united front to the media and thereby the wider electorate. He has investigated the way in which the agenda is controlled, speakers groomed and how both individuals and other groups within the party membership have tried to break leadership control of the conference. He also has an interest in how the Labour Party conference has changed its nature during the party's history.

Five reasons to vote in this election

Nov 27, 2019 12:40 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

If you live in a safe seat, dont feel inspired by the choices on offer, and/or would rather spend December 12 doing your Christmas shopping, you might be considering not voting in the 2019 general election then here are...

Why Brexit might be as big a problem for Jeremy Corbyn as it is for Theresa May

Oct 28, 2018 12:03 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Its clear that the Conservative Party leadership, like the wider party, is profoundly split on what its Brexit policy ought to be. When Number 10 is willing to admit that a Cabinet meeting was impassioned the chances are...

Theresa May lives to fight another day – but this conference speech may well be her last

Oct 04, 2018 14:29 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Last years car crash was always going to set the bar for Theresa Mays 2018 speech to the Conservative Party conference very low. It was, however, a bar May cleared with ease in her 2018 address. The terrible dancing and...

Meet Theresa May's Conservatives – they're not the nasty party, honest

May 21, 2017 13:36 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Theresa Mays (not the Conservative Partys more on that later) 2017 general election manifesto is based on dealing with Five Great Challenges. The plan is to ensure a strong economy, manage Brexit, tackle enduring social...

Briferendum Aftermath Series

Heathrow, Brexit and a pointless political suicide – that Richmond by-election in full

Dec 04, 2016 06:00 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The 2016 Richmond Park by-election must surely be one of the most frivolous and pointless instances of political suicide in recent British political history. Conservative incumbent Zac Goldsmith should perhaps be...

Economy

IMF Maintains 2027 Global Growth Forecast at 3.4% Amid Rising Risks

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) maintained its 2027 global economic growth forecast at 3.4%, warning that escalating Middle East tensions, rising government debt and persistent inflation could threaten the global...

Philippines Current Account Deficit Seen at $19.1 Billion in 2026

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects the Philippines current account deficit to reach $19.1 billion in 2026, equivalent to 3.8% of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP), according to projections announced by...

RBA Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has indicated that further interest rate hikes remain possible as policymakers confront persistent inflation pressures and rising global costs, according to minutes from its September...

Gold Prices Rebound as Dollar Weakens Ahead of US Inflation Data

Gold prices rose on Tuesday as a softer U.S. dollar supported precious metals, although escalating Middle East tensions and expectations of further Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes continued to limit gains. Spot gold...

Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Nears 18-Month High Ahead of US CPI

Asian currencies traded in narrow ranges on Tuesday as investors remained cautious ahead of crucial U.S. inflation data, while the U.S. dollar stayed near an 18-month high amid geopolitical tensions and sustained demand...

Politics

US Condemns China Sanctions on Taiwan Allies Belize and Paraguay

The Trump administration has criticized China for imposing sanctions on government ministers from Belize and Paraguay over their diplomatic relations with Taiwan, accusing Beijing of using coercion to undermine the...

Kim Jong Un Showcases ICBM Ahead of Possible Trump Meeting

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a newly opened military museum showcasing advanced weapons, including an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of striking the United States, according to state media...

Trump Denies Russia and China Are Helping Iran in U.S. Conflict

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday evening that he does not believe Russia or China is providing significant assistance to Iran in its ongoing conflict with the United States, despite reports suggesting both countries...

Most Americans Oppose Election Betting on Prediction Markets, Poll Finds

A majority of Americans oppose betting on US elections, military operations and government decisions through prediction markets, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, highlighting public concerns as regulators consider new...

Elon Musk Donates $366 Million to 2026 US Midterms

Elon Musk has poured approximately $366 million into the 2026 US midterm elections, making the Tesla and SpaceX CEO potentially the largest individual political donor of the election cycle as Republicans fight to retain...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Nvidia’s China AI Chip Market Share Falls to 34% as Huawei Gains Ground

Nvidias share of Chinas artificial intelligence chip market declined sharply during the first half of 2026 as U.S. export restrictions and growing competition from domestic semiconductor manufacturers reshaped the...

Samsung, SK Hynix Shares Plunge as China Chip Competition Grows

Shares of South Korean semiconductor giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix plunged on Tuesday, extending a steep selloff as investors weighed rising competition from Chinese memory chipmakers and growing uncertainty...

Moonshot AI Executives Seek Settlement Ahead of Hong Kong IPO

Senior executives at Chinese artificial intelligence startup Moonshot AI are reportedly negotiating a settlement in a shareholder dispute ahead of the companys planned Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO). According to...

Meta Launches Muse Wonder AI Models, Shares Rise 3.7%

Meta Platforms has unveiled its latest artificial intelligence models, Muse Wonder and Muse Wonder Full, marking a major step in the companys efforts to compete with leading AI developers. The announcement on Monday...

Epic Games Delays Disney Shooter, Shifts to AI-First Development

Epic Games has reportedly postponed the launch of its upcoming Disney multiplayer shooter as the Fortnite developer adopts an artificial intelligence-driven approach to game production, according to Bloomberg. The highly...