Dr Richard Jobson

My research interests lie in British political history since 1945 and, more specifically, the politics and history of the Labour Party. I am particularly interested in how British politics has been (and remains) shaped by emotionally-imbued identities rather than by rational considerations and calculated actions. My book Nostalgia and the Post-war Labour Party: Prisoners of the Past (MUP, 2018) explores the different ways in which nostalgia has impacted on Labour's political trajectory and hindered the party's capacity for modernisation. This book was published in paperback in 2021.

I started my role as Lecturer in 20th Century British History at the University of Exeter in 2019 and became a Senior Lecturer in 2025. I teach a range of modern historical and political topics, including the Special Subject 'The Yes, Minister Files: Perspectives on British Government since 1914'.

I have previously lectured in Modern History at The Queen's College, University of Oxford and in Contemporary Political History at the University of Bristol. I have also worked as an Associate Research Fellow for the GW4 Alliance Modern British Politics and Political History research group.