Paul Kelly
@pjthinker.bsky.social
Professor of Political Theory
Former Head of Department of Government and PVC Education
London School of Economics
Author Against Post-liberalism: Why Faith, Family and Flag is a Dead End for the Left, Polity Press 2025
Former Head of Department of Government and PVC Education
London School of Economics
Author Against Post-liberalism: Why Faith, Family and Flag is a Dead End for the Left, Polity Press 2025
I wouldn’t read too much into Reform’s response as policy - it’s more populist talking point stuff. Kill high skill employment in a smallish north Wales town is not an obvious vote winner…
February 10, 2026 at 1:45 PM
I wouldn’t read too much into Reform’s response as policy - it’s more populist talking point stuff. Kill high skill employment in a smallish north Wales town is not an obvious vote winner…
… It might also be Pochin thing. As I understand it the ‘Reform’ student societies want Tice, Yousuf or Bull as these are the guys to get close to if you want party roles. Farage wouldn’t do society events, Lowe and the other guy don’t count not sure how well Goodwin is regarded or what he is up to.
February 10, 2026 at 1:40 PM
… It might also be Pochin thing. As I understand it the ‘Reform’ student societies want Tice, Yousuf or Bull as these are the guys to get close to if you want party roles. Farage wouldn’t do society events, Lowe and the other guy don’t count not sure how well Goodwin is regarded or what he is up to.
As far as I can tell this is not a ban but the denial of a request for a platform. Our LSE conservative student society (which has basically gone Reform) has no problem getting a platform for Reform speakers, I event chaired one such event with David Bull … 👆👆👆
February 10, 2026 at 1:31 PM
As far as I can tell this is not a ban but the denial of a request for a platform. Our LSE conservative student society (which has basically gone Reform) has no problem getting a platform for Reform speakers, I event chaired one such event with David Bull … 👆👆👆
Quite epically wrong - nearly two decades after Blair’s departure there are no Blairites (except @rentouljohn.bsky.social) only those whose politics has been shaped for good or ill by Blair and Brown. The real dead end was the Blue Labour populism of Glasman etc and that needs p urging…
February 10, 2026 at 10:54 AM
Quite epically wrong - nearly two decades after Blair’s departure there are no Blairites (except @rentouljohn.bsky.social) only those whose politics has been shaped for good or ill by Blair and Brown. The real dead end was the Blue Labour populism of Glasman etc and that needs p urging…
Speccy is not quite sure how to deal with Mandelson - they hated him because he was the Labour Party they wanted …
February 10, 2026 at 10:47 AM
Speccy is not quite sure how to deal with Mandelson - they hated him because he was the Labour Party they wanted …
Reposted by Paul Kelly
% of White evangelicals who are extremely/very confident that Donald Trump acts ethically in office 📉
55% in early 2025
40% in early 2026
www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
55% in early 2025
40% in early 2026
www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
February 9, 2026 at 8:52 PM
% of White evangelicals who are extremely/very confident that Donald Trump acts ethically in office 📉
55% in early 2025
40% in early 2026
www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
55% in early 2025
40% in early 2026
www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
Nice piece from Theo Hobson - (now read the books @pjthinker.bsky.social Against Post-Liberalism and @mattsleat.bsky.social Post-Liberalism) @politybooks.bsky.social
February 10, 2026 at 7:21 AM
Nice piece from Theo Hobson - (now read the books @pjthinker.bsky.social Against Post-Liberalism and @mattsleat.bsky.social Post-Liberalism) @politybooks.bsky.social
Reposted by Paul Kelly
For about fifteen years now, the term has attracted academics and pundits who want to sound edgy.
✍️ Theo Hobson spectator.com/article/the-...
✍️ Theo Hobson spectator.com/article/the-...
The trouble with post-liberalism
You might suppose that sensible mainstream theologians have been calmly refuting such reactionary posturing. If only
spectator.com
February 9, 2026 at 8:30 AM
For about fifteen years now, the term has attracted academics and pundits who want to sound edgy.
✍️ Theo Hobson spectator.com/article/the-...
✍️ Theo Hobson spectator.com/article/the-...
Reposted by Paul Kelly
It’s very good of Prince William to distance himself from his horrific uncle Andrew, while on a visit to hang out with journalist-murdering bastard Mohammed bin Salman. I
February 9, 2026 at 10:19 PM
It’s very good of Prince William to distance himself from his horrific uncle Andrew, while on a visit to hang out with journalist-murdering bastard Mohammed bin Salman. I
I think Starmer is interested in foreign policy - but otherwise agree. Foreign policy is never enough to save an administration especially when as now it can’t actually speak its goal. Maybe Starmer should step aside in return for being Foreign Secretary - like Balfour? But with more free reign …
February 9, 2026 at 10:50 AM
I think Starmer is interested in foreign policy - but otherwise agree. Foreign policy is never enough to save an administration especially when as now it can’t actually speak its goal. Maybe Starmer should step aside in return for being Foreign Secretary - like Balfour? But with more free reign …
February 9, 2026 at 10:41 AM
As @mattsleat.bsky.social says a great piece - and one that continues to bring our related but independent work to a wider audience when that might matter. I have more of a dog in this fight than Matt - more on this in the coming months …
February 9, 2026 at 10:41 AM
As @mattsleat.bsky.social says a great piece - and one that continues to bring our related but independent work to a wider audience when that might matter. I have more of a dog in this fight than Matt - more on this in the coming months …
Reposted by Paul Kelly
Very grateful for the mention of mine and @pjthinker.bsky.social's book on post-liberalism in The Spectator. I have no dog in the fight, but politics of the British and American post-liberals are more different than acknowledged here (as I explain in my book).
amzn.eu/d/0hDHqugN
amzn.eu/d/051VjPnM
amzn.eu/d/0hDHqugN
amzn.eu/d/051VjPnM
February 9, 2026 at 10:08 AM
Very grateful for the mention of mine and @pjthinker.bsky.social's book on post-liberalism in The Spectator. I have no dog in the fight, but politics of the British and American post-liberals are more different than acknowledged here (as I explain in my book).
amzn.eu/d/0hDHqugN
amzn.eu/d/051VjPnM
amzn.eu/d/0hDHqugN
amzn.eu/d/051VjPnM
Winning is extremely important in electoral politics (including referenda) but the idea that it is the only thing that matters has destroyed British politics, hollowed out political parties and left policy making a mess.
February 9, 2026 at 7:16 AM
Winning is extremely important in electoral politics (including referenda) but the idea that it is the only thing that matters has destroyed British politics, hollowed out political parties and left policy making a mess.
With all due respect to my U.S. followers no one outside the U.S. cares who won the NFL and absolutely no one cares what Trump thought of Mr Bad Bunny and the half-time show - perhaps BBCNews might take note.
February 9, 2026 at 7:12 AM
With all due respect to my U.S. followers no one outside the U.S. cares who won the NFL and absolutely no one cares what Trump thought of Mr Bad Bunny and the half-time show - perhaps BBCNews might take note.
He did let his boss down on so many levels and that he is surprised at the seriousness of his Boss’s position shows he is far from the galactic political mega-brain he was supposed to be, but then such people - think Cummings - are rarely as good as they seem to a gullible press.
February 8, 2026 at 9:33 AM
He did let his boss down on so many levels and that he is surprised at the seriousness of his Boss’s position shows he is far from the galactic political mega-brain he was supposed to be, but then such people - think Cummings - are rarely as good as they seem to a gullible press.
This was not orthogonal to the whole Epstein scandal - the number of times Thiel is mentioned illustrates and the way his business influence extends through the likes of Mandelson should worry us all. This takes nothing away from the centrality of the suffering of the women victims or Trumps role…
February 7, 2026 at 1:07 PM
This was not orthogonal to the whole Epstein scandal - the number of times Thiel is mentioned illustrates and the way his business influence extends through the likes of Mandelson should worry us all. This takes nothing away from the centrality of the suffering of the women victims or Trumps role…
I find the emails but crazy - I remember my brief period in senior management re-learning to use the phone. All HR stuff was by phone until final agreed positions needed to be on record. At best email was ‘please phone at …’ OK I didn’t do Epstein stuff but were these people just stupid?
February 7, 2026 at 11:58 AM
I find the emails but crazy - I remember my brief period in senior management re-learning to use the phone. All HR stuff was by phone until final agreed positions needed to be on record. At best email was ‘please phone at …’ OK I didn’t do Epstein stuff but were these people just stupid?
Just a reminder the excellent @thetablet.bsky.social piece on Against Post-Liberalism and @mattsleat.bsky.social Post-Liberalism is out today…👆👆👆
February 7, 2026 at 11:48 AM
Just a reminder the excellent @thetablet.bsky.social piece on Against Post-Liberalism and @mattsleat.bsky.social Post-Liberalism is out today…👆👆👆
Couldn’t someone send him to Barnard Castle for an eye test…
February 7, 2026 at 11:45 AM
Couldn’t someone send him to Barnard Castle for an eye test…
It could be a reason for withdrawing from GBBO under specific circumstances…👆👆👆
February 7, 2026 at 10:41 AM
It could be a reason for withdrawing from GBBO under specific circumstances…👆👆👆
At LSE event celebrating the late Conor Gearty - scholar, teacher and public intellectual. An ideal roll model - what an academic should be. A great loss we all still feel. @lselaw.bsky.social
February 6, 2026 at 10:30 AM
At LSE event celebrating the late Conor Gearty - scholar, teacher and public intellectual. An ideal roll model - what an academic should be. A great loss we all still feel. @lselaw.bsky.social
Mandelson apparently 👆👆👆
February 6, 2026 at 9:40 AM
Mandelson apparently 👆👆👆
Reposted by Paul Kelly
This is why Shakespeare is the greatest genius who ever lived. And this is just from a few pages he wrote in someone else's play.
Ian McKellen performs “The Strangers’ Case” speech from “Sir Thomas More” on Colbert.
February 5, 2026 at 2:50 PM
This is why Shakespeare is the greatest genius who ever lived. And this is just from a few pages he wrote in someone else's play.