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Martin Farr

Senior Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary British History, Newcastle University

Ph.D in Modern History, University of Glasgow, (1998)
B.A. (Hons.) Politics, University of Exeter (1990)

2000- Senior Lecturer, School of History, Newcastle University

Broadcasting
Television: BBC1, BBC2, BBC3, BBC News, BBC News 24, ITN, UKTV History, Tyne Tees TV, Dene Films, Border TV, More4, Press TV (Iran), Al Jazeera (London), Tokyo Broadcasting System News, Nippon Hoso Kyokai (Japan), FNN News (Japan).
Radio: BBC World Service, BBC Radio Four, BBC Radio Five Live, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Newcastle, BBC Radio Gloucester, BBC Radio Cumbria, BBC Three Counties Radio, BBC Radio Sunderland, BBC Radio Leeds, LBC, Metro Radio (Newcastle), Talksport; National Public Radio (NPR, US), Newstalk (Ireland), Newstalk 93 FM (Jamaica), HOT102 FM (TODAY with Beverley Manley) (Jamaica), Polskie Radio PR1 (Poland), VIP Radio, SPARK FM, CityTalk FM.
Online: ‘Margaret Thatcher’s World’, British Scholar Documentary series

Journalism
Contributor: BBC History Magazine, The Times, The Guardian, The Journal, The Northern Echo, The Evening Chronicle, MSN.
Interviewee: New York Times, New York Daily News, Toronto Star, Christian Science Monitor, Sunday Sun, CSN News, The Independent, Daily Mirror, The Sun, News of the World, Sunday Express, The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Sunday Herald, Yorkshire Post, Harpers, O Globo (Brazil), Netherlands Press Association, Dziennik (Poland), Wprost (Poland), Pravda, Associated Press, Bloomberg, International Herald Tribune, Folha de S.Paulo (Brazil), Veja (Brazil), Rzeczpospolita (Poland), Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan), Mainichi Shimbun (Japan), To Vima (Greece).

Mandelson goes to Washington – or does he? Why neither is a good option now

Jan 23, 2025 04:52 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Although it will impinge on the consciousness of few, the appointment of the next UK ambassador to the US is growing into a crisis. It would not do for the involvement of Peter Mandelson in anything to pass without some...

Six books (and one play) to read to understand British politics today

Dec 26, 2023 23:14 pm UTC| Politics

With a general election on the horizon in 2024, this holiday season is a good time to curl up with a book that explains the state of British politics and society today. We asked politics experts for their...

The divisions exposed in Britain by the conflict in the Middle East

Oct 23, 2023 08:16 am UTC| Life Politics

Much of the reaction in Britain to a crisis that has yet to acquire a specific designation, has concentrated on words used, and not used their significance amplified by what their use, or non-use, may be held to...

Global Geopolitics Series

With new Atlantic Charter, Biden and Johnson reset the special relationship

Jun 14, 2021 04:32 am UTC| Politics

Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill first met in the summer of 1941 on HMS Prince of Wales to create the Atlantic Charter, establishing the terms of their countries relationship in war, and, as it was to prove, in...

Brexit: the last time MPs were given indicative votes to break a deadlock, they failed

Jan 23, 2019 12:58 pm UTC| Insights & Views

One of the many ironies thrown up in the course of Brexit has been just how controversial attempts by parliament the UKs supreme constitutional authority to take back control have been. First, MPs insisted on holding...

Trump's visit has thrown the special relationship into unprecedented turmoil

Jul 16, 2018 03:04 am UTC| Insights & Views

One of the few conventions Donald Trump has observed as president has been to venerate Winston Churchill. The intention was obvious therefore when on the evening of his arrival in the UK he was feted at Churchills...

Economy

Gold Prices Slip as Dollar Strengthens Amid U.S.-Iran Tensions and Rising Inflation

Gold prices declined on Monday as a strengthening U.S. dollar and persistent inflation concerns weighed heavily on the precious metal. Spot gold dropped 0.6% to $4,720.67 per ounce, while gold futures slid 0.9% to...

Oil Prices Surge as U.S. Imposes Blockade on Iranian Shipping Amid Ongoing Middle East Tensions

Global financial markets were rattled Monday after the United States announced a blockade on Iranian shipping following the breakdown of weekend peace negotiations. The decision has renewed fears over Middle East energy...

Bank of Korea Governor Nominee Warns of Action if Korean Won Weakens Further

South Koreas Bank of Korea governor nominee, Shin Hyun-song, signaled on Monday that policymakers stand ready to intervene should the Korean won experience excessive depreciation. In written statements submitted to...

U.S. Blockades Strait of Hormuz as Oil Prices Surge Past $100

Oil prices climbed sharply in early Asian trading on Monday, with Brent crude jumping 8% to $102.93 per barrel after President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Navy would begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz. The move...

U.S. Futures Plunge as Iran Ceasefire Talks Collapse and Hormuz Blockade Looms

U.S. stock index futures dropped sharply Sunday evening after ceasefire negotiations between Washington and Tehran broke down, raising fears of prolonged conflict and further disruptions to global energy markets. The...

Politics

U.S. Blockades Strait of Hormuz Amid Escalating Iran Tensions

The U.S. military has announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz effective Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern, targeting vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas. Ships not bound for Iran will be permitted to...

U.S., Australia, and Philippines Conduct Joint South China Sea Military Drills Amid Rising Tensions With China

The United States, Australia, and the Philippines wrapped up their second trilateral maritime exercises of 2025 in the South China Sea, reinforcing their collective commitment to freedom of navigation and regional security...

Taiwan Insists Government Must Lead Cross-Strait Engagement Amid China's New Incentives

Taiwans top security official has made clear that any response to Chinas latest proposed trade and tourism measures must be government-led, not driven by opposition party diplomacy. National Security Bureau chief Tsai...

Spain's Sanchez Urges China to Take Greater Global Leadership Role During Beijing Visit

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on China to assume a more meaningful role in addressing pressing global challenges, including climate change, international security, defense, and the fight against inequality....

Hungary's Orban Loses Power as Magyar Wins in Landslide; U.S. Reactions Divided

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, was voted out of power after 16 years in office as Hungarians turned out in record numbers to elect center-right challenger Peter Magyar....

Science

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...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

AI Deradicalization Tools: How Chatbots Could Help Combat Violent Extremism Online

As artificial intelligence platforms become more deeply embedded in daily life, concerns about their role in enabling dangerous behavior continue to grow. A New Zealand startup is now developing a groundbreaking tool that...

TSMC Posts Record Q1 2026 Profits Driven by Surging AI Chip Demand

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is on track to deliver its fourth straight quarter of record-breaking earnings, with analysts forecasting a 50% jump in net profit for the first quarter of 2026. The surge is...

OpenAI Addresses Security Vulnerability in macOS App Certification Process

OpenAI disclosed a security concern on Friday involving a third-party developer tool known as Axios, which is connected to the process used to verify the authenticity of its macOS applications. The company confirmed it has...

San Francisco Suspect Arrested After Molotov Cocktail Attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's Home

San Francisco police arrested a 20-year-old suspect Friday following a pre-dawn attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altmans residence in the citys North Beach neighborhood. According to the San Francisco Police Department, an...

SanDisk Joins Nasdaq-100, Replacing Atlassian on April 20

Nasdaq Inc. confirmed late Friday that SanDisk Corporation will enter the Nasdaq-100 Index, taking the spot previously held by Atlassian Corp Plc when markets open on Monday, April 20, 2026. The change signals a broader...