[3] He studied history at the University of Sussex, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1989.

After graduating, he worked for the Coventry Telegraph and was a journalist for The Independent newspaper, specialising in education news.

In October 1999, he survived the Ladbroke Grove rail crash, an event to which he has attributed his desire to contribute to the community.

[7] At the 2015 general election, Rodda stood in Reading East, coming second with 33.1% of the vote behind the incumbent Conservative MP Rob Wilson.

[13] At the 2019 general election, Rodda was re-elected as MP for Reading East with a decreased vote share of 48.5% and an increased majority of 5,924.