Military service
On 1 August 2004, Martin was commissioned into the General List of the Territorial Army as a second lieutenant (on probation). [6] On 26 November 2006, he transferred to the Royal Yeomanry. [7] His commission was confirmed on 26 November 2006 with seniority in the rank of second lieutenant from 26 November 2005. [8] He was promoted to lieutenant on 26 November 2007. [9] He was promoted to captain on 22 April 2010 with seniority from 15 June 2009. [10] He transferred to the Intelligence Corps on 19 August 2013. [11]
Martin worked as a Political Officer while in Helmand Province and dealt directly with the Taliban. [12] Martin speaks Pushtu and pioneered the British Military’s Cultural Advisor programme. The programme trained Pushtu-speaking British officers to develop and leverage relationships with Afghan community leaders, including members of the Taliban. Martin also advised four UK commanders of the Task Force Helmand on local population dynamics. [13]
While serving, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) commissioned Martin to write a PhD thesis on recent history and conflict in Helmand, Afghanistan. The MoD tried to block the publication of Martin’s critical account of British involvement, claiming that its publication was in breach of the Official Secrets Act. Martin resigned from his commission in 2014 so he could publish the full account in his book 'An intimate war: an oral history of the Helmand conflict, 1978-2012'. [14]
Career
Business
After leaving the army, Martin became a research director, working for a risk management company in Somaliland and Myanmar (formerly Burma). During his tenure, he started up a new division that assisted multinational clientele to develop a strategy to navigate the political and cultural intricacies of emerging markets. [3]
International NGO
Later, Martin worked for international NGO Common Purpose in senior global management positions for two years. [3]
Writing
Martin has authored a number of books on conflict, psychology and travel that have been translated and sold internationally. In 2014, Martin published An Intimate War, which was also translated into Russian. In 2016, he published Crossing the Congo, which was translated into German. In 2018, Martin published Why We Fight, which was translated into Estonian. Martin’s most recent work How to Fight a War was published in Russia, Germany [15] , Taiwan [16] , Brazil, South Africa [17] , and South Asia [18] .
Royalties from An Intimate War are given to charities that support education in Afghanistan and mental health support for British service personnel [19] .
Parliamentary career
Martin is campaigning to improve local GP services, businesses in the town centre of Tunbridge Wells, as well as ensure there is sufficient infrastructure for new housing. He is also campaigning to increase Britain’s defence capabilities and believes that successive governments have failed in their defence and security strategies. [26]
Martin made his maiden speech titled An Ode to Tunbridge Wells on the 3rd September 2024, in which he lauded the famous ability of ‘Tunbridge Wellians’ to write to newspaper letter pages with their views. He also spoke of the upcoming 2024 Subbuteo World Cup that was hosted in Tunbridge Wells. The popular tabletop football game was originally invented in his constituency and early production began in Langton Green. [27] [28] [29]
Referring to his time as a former British Army Officer, Martin warned against Britain lacking a national geopolitical strategy and defence capabilities, and criticised successive British Governments for having “no strategy” during its War in Afghanistan. [27]
In January 2025 Martin brought a motion to Parliament calling on the Government to look at seizing $300 billion in frozen Russian financial assets in held in central banks across Europe to aid Ukraine in the Russo-Ukrainian war. MPs voted unanimously in favour of his motion. [30] That followed an open letter led by Martin and signed by British MPs and politicians from allied countries calling for the Government to work out how to seize frozen Russian financial assets. [31]
Martin has been a repeated critic of the Russian regime and its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which led him to being sanctioned by Russia on the 25th April 2025. [32]
Martin tabled an amendment to the Government’s Crime and Policing Bill that sought to bring into force the Protection Against Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023, which criminalises the harassment of women in public. [33] The Act was originally a Private Members Bill sponsored by Martin’s predecessor Greg Clark. [34]
In the House of Commons, Martin regularly raises issues pertaining to defence, national security and businesses. [35]
Defence Select Committee
Martin was appointed member of the Defence Select Committee on the 29th October 2024. [36] In post, he has criticised the Government’s 2025 Strategic Defence Review, describing it as “jam tomorrow” and saying that it will fail to grow Britain’s “tiny” military, and has said that the Government should increase defence spending to 3% of GDP. [37] [38]
Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy
Martin was appointed member of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy on the 6th December 2024. [39]
Martin referred Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf to the Home Secretary for a possible breach of the terrorism act after Yusuf said that a Reform UK government would look at giving money to the Taliban as part of a migrant returns agreement. [40]
2025 Tunbridge Wells Water Outage
On 29 November 2025, Royal Tunbridge Wells and parts of Pembury experienced a water outage after it was discovered that water being treated at South East Water’s Pembury Water Treatment Plant might not be safe to consume [41] . As a result, 24,000 households and businesses in the area were left without a water supply for six days. A boil notice was then put in place for a further seven days, with customers only being able to directly consume tap water thirteen days after the initial day of the outage [42] .
Martin responded to the 'crisis' by assisting with the of water distribution sites [43] , helping distribute water to residents and organisations on the priority register, and communicating information with residents [44] . He strongly criticised the leadership and communication from South East Water (SEW) during the crisis, which saw GP surgeries, schools, and businesses forced to close [45] . Martin called for the resignation of South East Water’s CEO, Dave Hinton, on Monday, 1 December 2025. In December 2022, Royal Tunbridge Wells lost its water supply for six days because of similar issues at SEW’s Pembury Water Treatment Plant. Martin said that this demonstrates that no lessons have been learned by the water company from previous supply interruptions [46] .
During the water outage, leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, helped distribute bottled water to affected residents with Martin in Tunbridge Wells [47] . Davey later raised the water outage at Prime Minister’s Questions on its fifth day, calling for a COBRA meeting to “get a grip of this crisis”. The Prime Minister described the water outage as “shocking” and a “serious issue” [48] .
Martin campaigned for increased compensation for affected businesses, with total losses estimated to be millions of pounds [49] . On the sixth day of the crisis, Martin called on the Government to provide an £18.5 million “Covid-style” recovery package for local businesses that were facing supply issues [50] .
Following the crisis, investigations and inquiries into South East Water were launched by the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) [51] . The Chair of the EFRA Committee and Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland,The Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP, summoned Hinton to a Committee hearing on 6 January 2026. Martin provided evidence to each investigation [52] .
Martin received praise from constituents, commentators and fellow politicians for his proactive handling of the crisis, leadership, and communication with constituents [53] [54] .
