hiː bɪɡˈæn hɪz kɚɹˈɪɹ æz ɐ dʒˈɜːnəlˌɪst wɪððə faɪnˈænʃəl tˈaɪmz nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti ˈeɪt sˈɪksti ænd pɹəɡɹˈɛst tə ðə ɡˈɑːɹdiən wˌɛɹ hiː wʌz vˈɛɹiəsli ðɛɹ lˈeɪbɚ kˌɔːɹɪspˈɑːndənt nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti θɹˈiː sˈɪksti sˈɛvən, wˈɑːʃɪŋtən kˌɔːɹɪspˈɑːndənt nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti tˈuː sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ, ænd pəlˈɪɾɪkəl kˈɑːməntˌeɪɾɚ ænd pˈɑːlɪsi ˈɛdɪɾɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ ˈeɪɾi fˈaɪv.
He began his career as a journalist with the Financial Times (1958–60) and progressed to The Guardian where he was variously their Labour Correspondent (1963–67), Washington Correspondent (1972–74), and Political Commentator and Policy Editor (1974–85).