In 2003, John launched and edited (till 2005) the FT Magazine. He is a member of the board of Prospect magazine,  and of the Moscow School of Political Studies.

With others, he is creating the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University.

He has won awards as Journalist of the Year and Specialist Writer of the Year, and the David Watt Prize.
He has been editor of the New Statesman and of Time Out. He has worked for Weekend World, the London Programme (LWT) and for Independent Radio News.

His books include “Loss without Limit: the British Miners’ Strike”; “Rebirth of a Nation: an Anatomy of Russia”; and “What the Media are doing to our politics”.

John is married with one son and lives in London.