Lewis Goodall

A native of Birmingham, Goodall grew up on a council estate in Longbridge and attended the local Turves Green Boys' School and completed his A Levels at Cadbury Sixth Form College. He went to study at St John's College of the University of Oxford, graduating with a degree in history and politics in 2010.[3] He was the first in his family to go to university.[4] Goodall was an activist for the Labour Party whilst at university and also a blogger.[5][6]

Goodall worked for the centre-left think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research[7] and also as a question writer for the quiz show University Challenge.[3]

Goodall began his career as a producer and reporter at the BBC in 2012, working there until 2017 when he left to join Sky News. During his time at the BBC he reported for Victoria Derbyshire and BBC Radio Four.[3]

Goodall conducted the last interview with Labour Party politician Denis Healey before his death in October 2015.[3]

In November 2019, he returned to the BBC to join Newsnight as its policy editor.[8][9] His appointment was met with some criticism by Conservatives because, according to The Telegraph, Goodall had "made no secret of his political views" during his previous role at Sky News.[7] Brexit supporters also accused him of being an "anti-Brexit activist".[7]

Goodall also occasionally writes for the New Statesman as a guest.[10] In August 2020 an article he wrote in the newspaper on the COVID-19 pandemic exams grading controversy caused some concern over impartiality.[7]

In September 2018, Goodall published his first book, Left for Dead?: The Strange Death and Rebirth of the Labour Party, an analysis of New Labour and Jeremy Corbyn.[11][12]