Dr Jonathan Kirkup
Senior Lecturer in Politics
- kirkupjb@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44(0)29 2087 5036
- 2.38, Law Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
I joined the staff at Cardiff University in 2013 having previously worked in the private sector and as an Associate Fellow at Heidelberg University researching policy-making at a national and sub-national level in the UK and Germany.
My teaching and research interests include British politics, specifically aspects of political leadership, and the politics of Northern Ireland. I also teach and research in the fields of public policy and comparative politics
Current projects include a Political Studies Association funded study of the roles of Northern Ireland based MPs in Westminster and TDs in Dáil Éireann, working with Dr. Thomas Leahy (Cardiff University) and Dr. Kevin Fahey (Swansea University)
I have published on a wide range of topics, most recently the article ‘everyone needs a Willie' with Dr. Stephen Thornton (Cardiff University) on the role of the deputy prime minister in British politics and a forthcoming publication on the role of the First Secretary of State.
I am the convenor of the Political Studies Association Liberals and Liberalism Specialist Group. As part of this role I have received grant funding to organise workshops and conferences on Liberal thinking, party politics and policy.
Administrative roles:
- Head of Year 1
- Teaching and learning committee
Biography
- PhD in Politics (2013) Cardiff University
- M.A. in Irish Political History (1999) Queen's University, Belfast
- B.A. (Hons) in Politics and Modern History (1997) Aberystwyth University
Publications
2023
- Thornton, S. and Kirkup, J. 2023. From Rab to Raab: the construction of the office of first secretary of state. Parliamentary Affairs 76(1), pp. 186-210., article number: gsab038. (10.1093/pa/gsab038)
2022
- Thornton, S. and Kirkup, J. 2022. Liz Truss names Therese Coffey as her second-in-command – here’s how deputies have performed this key role for past PMs. The Conversation 2022(7 Sept)
2021
- Thornton, S. and Kirkup, J. 2021. As first Secretary of State, is Dominic Raab the second most senior politician in the UK?. [Online]. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk: LSE. Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/as-first-secretary-of-state-is-dominic-raab-the-second-most-senior-politician-in-the-uk/
2020
- Thornton, S. and Kirkup, J. 2020. Boris Johnson is in intensive care, so who is in charge in the UK?. The Conversation
2017
- Kirkup, J. and Thornton, S. L. 2017. 'Everyone needs a Willie': The elusive position of deputy to the British prime minister. British Politics 12(4), pp. 492-520. (10.1057/bp.2015.42)
- Thornton, S. and Kirkup, J. 2017. Why Theresa May should appoint a deputy prime minister. The Conversation
- Thornton, S. and Kirkup, J. 2017. Was Damian Green really the Deputy Prime Minister?. [Online]. LSE. Available at: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/62576-2/
2015
- Kirkup, J. 2015. The Lib-Lab Pact: a Parliamentary agreement 1977-78. London: Palgrave Macmillan. (10.1057/9781137527691)
2012
- Kirkup, J. 2012. The parliamentary agreement between the Labour Party and the Liberal Party 1977-1978 ‘The Lib-Lab Pact’. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
Teaching
Undergraduate teaching
- British Politics since 1945 Module convenor
- Governance in Modern Britain Module convenor
- Sex, Drugs and Public policy
- Academic Study Skills - Programme convenor
Postgraduate teaching
- European Political Economy Module convenor
- Politics in and about Northern Ireland since 1998
Postgraduate and undergraduate dissertation supervision
My research and teaching interests focus on British and Irish politics and public policy.
I am particularly interested in intra-party dynamics in government and opposition and how these impact policy formation, development and implementation. I have published on coalition forming and government formation, notably examining confidence and supply agreements. Currently my research focus is on the core executive and the role and responsibilities of the deputy prime minister (see publications).
I also research and teach on Northern Irish politics and am currently part of a PSA funded project looking at the roles of Northern Ireland MPs in Westminster and TDs in Dáil Éireann.
Conference Participation
I was co-convenor of the Political Studies Association International Conference held at Cardiff in 2016.
I regularly participate in the following conferences:
- Political Studies Association Annual Conference
- Irish Political Studies Annual Conference
- Elections, Parties and Opinion Polling (EPOP_
- Policy and Politics Annual Conference
Reviewer Activities
I have reviewed papers for a variety of academic journals including Political Studies and the International Journal Political Studies and Oxford University Press.
Supervision
I am currently second supervior on an EHRC funded PhD
I also supervise students researching on EU politics; British foreign policy since 1945 and Social change in Northern Ireland since the 1960s.
I welcome PhD applications on British politics, coalition forming and third party politics and Northern Ireland politics