He then began his career in journalism as home affairs correspondent for New Society (1977–1981) and moved to The Sunday Times in 1981, working as a political correspondent for three years.
He has been with The Guardian since 1984 and also wrote regularly for Marxism Today in its later years.
He writes a column on classical music in Prospect magazine.
Kettle is best known as a columnist for The Guardian, where he is assistant editor, having worked as the newspaper's Washington D.C.
bureau chief 1997–2001.
He was formerly a leader writer (1993–1997) and chief leader writer 2001 onwards.
Martin Kettle has often defended New Labour and Tony Blair (a personal friend) – though not over the Iraq War.
However, soon after the 2010 general election, Kettle wrote that David Cameron's Conservative-led Coalition had had a positive effect on the country.
He has been dismissed by John Pilger as Blair's "most devoted promoter".Kettle has a low opinion of Boris Johnson, Kettle wrote, "The immediate effect of the judgment [when the Supreme Court declared the prorogation of Parliament invalid] is devastating for Johnson.
It is expressed so cogently and unambiguously that it will be difficult for him to wriggle out of it – even though he is certainly foolish enough to try.
Parliament will surely be recalled on Tuesday – since, as the judgment said, it has not been prorogued in the first place.
Johnson’s efforts, to the extent that they exist at all, to negotiate a new or tweaked deal with the EU will be held up to the light.
And, since Johnson spectacularly lacks a majority in the House of Commons, it is likely that the cross-party efforts to shape Brexit will be redoubled."