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
Reposted by Paul Kelly
My piece on Alasdair MacIntyre for Jacobin
Der Marxismus gilt gemeinhin als antireligiös. Der Philosoph Alasdair MacIntyre sieht hingegen Überschneidungen: Christentum und Marxismus haben in der Menschheit immer wieder ein radikales Gefühl der Hoffnung auf eine gerechtere Welt geweckt.
Radikales Christentum und Marxismus haben das gleiche Ziel: eine bessere Welt
Der Marxismus gilt gemeinhin als antireligiös. Der Philosoph Alasdair MacIntyre sieht hingegen Überschneidungen: Christentum und Marxismus haben in der Menschheit immer wieder ein radikales Gefühl der Hoffnung auf eine gerechtere Welt geweckt.
jacobin.de
December 26, 2025 at 4:25 PM
My piece on Alasdair MacIntyre for Jacobin
Reposted by Paul Kelly
The complete Bayeux Tapestry has finally been released and proves that Bishop Odo had absolutely nothing to do with the illegal Norman invasion of England.
December 20, 2025 at 12:38 PM
The complete Bayeux Tapestry has finally been released and proves that Bishop Odo had absolutely nothing to do with the illegal Norman invasion of England.
A Merry Christmas to all my @lsegovernment.bsky.social students present and past and to everyone else on here
December 25, 2025 at 8:17 AM
A Merry Christmas to all my @lsegovernment.bsky.social students present and past and to everyone else on here
Reposted by Paul Kelly
All I want for Christmas is First Past the Post Electoral Chaos
Westminster Voting Intention:
RFM: 25% (-3)
LAB: 20% (+2)
CON: 19% (+2)
LDM: 15% (+1)
GRN: 15% (-2)
SNP: 3% (-1)
Via @yougov.co.uk, 21-22 Dec.
Changes w/ 14-15 Dec.
RFM: 25% (-3)
LAB: 20% (+2)
CON: 19% (+2)
LDM: 15% (+1)
GRN: 15% (-2)
SNP: 3% (-1)
Via @yougov.co.uk, 21-22 Dec.
Changes w/ 14-15 Dec.
December 23, 2025 at 9:53 AM
All I want for Christmas is First Past the Post Electoral Chaos
Reposted by Paul Kelly
Left: Greta Thunberg arrested for holding a placard in London
Right: Labour's Baron Hain, "This gov is treating Palestine action as equivalent to ISIS or al-Qaeda, which is intellectually bankrupt, politically unprincipled and morally wrong. I'm deeply ashamed"
Right: Labour's Baron Hain, "This gov is treating Palestine action as equivalent to ISIS or al-Qaeda, which is intellectually bankrupt, politically unprincipled and morally wrong. I'm deeply ashamed"
December 23, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Left: Greta Thunberg arrested for holding a placard in London
Right: Labour's Baron Hain, "This gov is treating Palestine action as equivalent to ISIS or al-Qaeda, which is intellectually bankrupt, politically unprincipled and morally wrong. I'm deeply ashamed"
Right: Labour's Baron Hain, "This gov is treating Palestine action as equivalent to ISIS or al-Qaeda, which is intellectually bankrupt, politically unprincipled and morally wrong. I'm deeply ashamed"
I read TSEliot’s Four Quartets as an A level student 48 years ago - still have my copy and Helen Gardner’s Art of TSEliot. I have to say it all went way over my head. Going back so many years later is such a different experience. My later political theory self has opened up so much …
December 23, 2025 at 7:13 AM
I read TSEliot’s Four Quartets as an A level student 48 years ago - still have my copy and Helen Gardner’s Art of TSEliot. I have to say it all went way over my head. Going back so many years later is such a different experience. My later political theory self has opened up so much …
Reposted by Paul Kelly
In Margate for the Bridget Reilly exhibition at the Turner Contemporary. Wonderful but takes me back. Many years ago Anne worked for the Juda Rowan gallery - Reilly’s gallery, and she helped her at openings etc. A vicarious claim to fame on my part…
December 20, 2025 at 11:51 AM
In Margate for the Bridget Reilly exhibition at the Turner Contemporary. Wonderful but takes me back. Many years ago Anne worked for the Juda Rowan gallery - Reilly’s gallery, and she helped her at openings etc. A vicarious claim to fame on my part…
Margate railway station - its a TSEliot thing at the moment…
December 20, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Margate railway station - its a TSEliot thing at the moment…
Reposted by Paul Kelly
Anthony Joshua: That's a natural twenty. Critical hit!
Matt Mercer: How do you want to do this?
Matt Mercer: How do you want to do this?
December 20, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Anthony Joshua: That's a natural twenty. Critical hit!
Matt Mercer: How do you want to do this?
Matt Mercer: How do you want to do this?
Reposted by Paul Kelly
Yesterday, over 60 of us fr @changingrealities.bsky.social came together in @10dowingstreet.bsky.social for a reception at which the PM & @darrenpjones.bsky.social thanked us for our efforts to push for action on child poverty. Together, we can make change happen. But this is just the beginning.
December 19, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Yesterday, over 60 of us fr @changingrealities.bsky.social came together in @10dowingstreet.bsky.social for a reception at which the PM & @darrenpjones.bsky.social thanked us for our efforts to push for action on child poverty. Together, we can make change happen. But this is just the beginning.
Reposted by Paul Kelly
Just published (open access) in The Review of Politics:
Robin Douglass and Ed Hall, 'Judith Shklar's Ethos of Skeptical Vigilance'
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Robin Douglass and Ed Hall, 'Judith Shklar's Ethos of Skeptical Vigilance'
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Judith Shklar’s Ethos of Skeptical Vigilance | The Review of Politics | Cambridge Core
Judith Shklar’s Ethos of Skeptical Vigilance
www.cambridge.org
December 19, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Just published (open access) in The Review of Politics:
Robin Douglass and Ed Hall, 'Judith Shklar's Ethos of Skeptical Vigilance'
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Robin Douglass and Ed Hall, 'Judith Shklar's Ethos of Skeptical Vigilance'
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
See Leithart review of Against Post-Liberalism
December 19, 2025 at 9:43 AM
See Leithart review of Against Post-Liberalism
Another review in First Things (not on bsky) by Peter J Leithart. A sensible discussion although obviously doesn’t accept my Rawlsianism - ‘ who defines rationality’ is the serious and hard question. This time I’m not reviewed with @mattsleat.bsky.social - @politybooks.bsky.social
December 19, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Another review in First Things (not on bsky) by Peter J Leithart. A sensible discussion although obviously doesn’t accept my Rawlsianism - ‘ who defines rationality’ is the serious and hard question. This time I’m not reviewed with @mattsleat.bsky.social - @politybooks.bsky.social
Reposted by Paul Kelly
New post from @ldfreedman.bsky.social
"Why Kupyansk Matters"
On how Ukraine is fighting back and embarrassing Putin in a battle he claimed he'd already won.
And the importance of undermining Russia's narrative.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
"Why Kupyansk Matters"
On how Ukraine is fighting back and embarrassing Putin in a battle he claimed he'd already won.
And the importance of undermining Russia's narrative.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
Why Kupyansk Matters
Undermining the Russian narrative
open.substack.com
December 18, 2025 at 11:43 AM
New post from @ldfreedman.bsky.social
"Why Kupyansk Matters"
On how Ukraine is fighting back and embarrassing Putin in a battle he claimed he'd already won.
And the importance of undermining Russia's narrative.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
"Why Kupyansk Matters"
On how Ukraine is fighting back and embarrassing Putin in a battle he claimed he'd already won.
And the importance of undermining Russia's narrative.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
Reposted by Paul Kelly
Matt’s journey from someone who sat on a government task force on tackling Islamophobia in the 2010s to this is actually not surprising given his absolute lack of moral compass.
Matthew Goodwin objects to prosecuting this: ‘I think it’s time for the British to gang together, hit the streets and start the slaughter. Violence and murder is the only way now. Start off burning every migrant hotel then head off to MPs’ houses and Parliament, we need to take over by FORCE.’
December 18, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Matt’s journey from someone who sat on a government task force on tackling Islamophobia in the 2010s to this is actually not surprising given his absolute lack of moral compass.
Reposted by Paul Kelly
"The overshoot" is @samfr.bsky.social on what might happen once politicians, the media and the public notice the sharp fall in net migration & immigration
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
The Overshoot
What happens to politics, and the country, as net migration collapses?
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 9:51 PM
"The overshoot" is @samfr.bsky.social on what might happen once politicians, the media and the public notice the sharp fall in net migration & immigration
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
Should you be passing through Victoria BC on the way north or to do a bit of Whale watching and you need a critique of Post-Liberalism pop by Munros - it’s an excellent book store 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
December 17, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Should you be passing through Victoria BC on the way north or to do a bit of Whale watching and you need a critique of Post-Liberalism pop by Munros - it’s an excellent book store 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Reading a lot of mid/late 20c Conservative thought- Eliot, Oakeshott and even Cowling. I turned to WF Buckley after wading through Tanenhaus’ monster biography and my goodness Buckley is a disappointment - I’d be better off reading @telegraph.co.uk comment pieces. US Conservative thought is poor
December 17, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Reading a lot of mid/late 20c Conservative thought- Eliot, Oakeshott and even Cowling. I turned to WF Buckley after wading through Tanenhaus’ monster biography and my goodness Buckley is a disappointment - I’d be better off reading @telegraph.co.uk comment pieces. US Conservative thought is poor
Reposted by Paul Kelly
Great to have such an enthusiastic support for rejoining Erasmus from the Vice Chancellor of Oxford University on #t4today
No stupid questions about whether this was anti-Brexit.
Just unequivocal celebration of the chance to broaden our horizons again. A step on the road back to sanity.
No stupid questions about whether this was anti-Brexit.
Just unequivocal celebration of the chance to broaden our horizons again. A step on the road back to sanity.
December 17, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Great to have such an enthusiastic support for rejoining Erasmus from the Vice Chancellor of Oxford University on #t4today
No stupid questions about whether this was anti-Brexit.
Just unequivocal celebration of the chance to broaden our horizons again. A step on the road back to sanity.
No stupid questions about whether this was anti-Brexit.
Just unequivocal celebration of the chance to broaden our horizons again. A step on the road back to sanity.
Glad to see UK rejoin the Erasmus programme - more needs to follow but this good news all the same.
December 16, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Glad to see UK rejoin the Erasmus programme - more needs to follow but this good news all the same.
Reposted by Paul Kelly
Thanks, Paul. Luke Ulas also published Being Cosmopolitan this year (keeping up the strong LSE connection at Sheffield). So indeed a good year for us theorists!
amzn.eu/d/4iDIWsz
amzn.eu/d/4iDIWsz
Being Cosmopolitan: A Political Approach
Buy Being Cosmopolitan: A Political Approach by Ulaş, Luke (ISBN: 9780198915263) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
amzn.eu
December 16, 2025 at 6:22 AM
Thanks, Paul. Luke Ulas also published Being Cosmopolitan this year (keeping up the strong LSE connection at Sheffield). So indeed a good year for us theorists!
amzn.eu/d/4iDIWsz
amzn.eu/d/4iDIWsz
Reposted by Paul Kelly
Imagine recognising you have a problem and electing to deal with that problem instead of dicking around tendentiously parsing subordinate clauses written by men in breeches.
Less than 48 hours after the deadly attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach that left more than a dozen dead, Australian authorities announced proposals for sweeping new gun laws. n.pr/48UTa7g
Australia announces strict new gun laws. Here's how it can act so swiftly
Less than 48 hours after the deadly attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach that left more than a dozen dead, Australian authorities announced proposals for sweeping new gun laws.
n.pr
December 15, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Imagine recognising you have a problem and electing to deal with that problem instead of dicking around tendentiously parsing subordinate clauses written by men in breeches.
Reposted by Paul Kelly
I spent time over last Christmas reading the MS for review. I liked it and here it is. Congratulations to @mattsleat.bsky.social - a fine book. Also for those paying attention this and Ed Hall’s book mark out Politics @polshef.bsky.social as perhaps the top UK theory dept this year…
December 15, 2025 at 5:43 PM
I spent time over last Christmas reading the MS for review. I liked it and here it is. Congratulations to @mattsleat.bsky.social - a fine book. Also for those paying attention this and Ed Hall’s book mark out Politics @polshef.bsky.social as perhaps the top UK theory dept this year…