Abi O'Connor
@drabioconnor.bsky.social
Urban Sociologist. Leverhulme ECF @ Sheffield University. Fellow @ Uni of Liverpool. PhD ✍️ political economy of housing/land, spatial inequality, local gov/politics & stigma. Fullback Union rep. Organising w Liverpool Residents Action et al. Views my own
Very normal response to an extremely low bar being set in housing law
November 2, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Very normal response to an extremely low bar being set in housing law
On my way to London for 2 important events today. First up the Homes for Us annual summit, power building with housing activists from across the UK 🫡 then onto Stratford Library for the Custom House Our House closing exhibition - a real privilege to be part of such amazing projects ❤️
October 25, 2025 at 7:23 AM
On my way to London for 2 important events today. First up the Homes for Us annual summit, power building with housing activists from across the UK 🫡 then onto Stratford Library for the Custom House Our House closing exhibition - a real privilege to be part of such amazing projects ❤️
More from me on #PoliticsLive:
🤔 Labour MP said she benefited from safe & secure as a kid, as did many, so why won’t govt extend that opportunity to others?
👀 see Manchester where ‘build baby build’ has been embraced yet there’s been +50% rent rises & mass displacement
🤔 Labour MP said she benefited from safe & secure as a kid, as did many, so why won’t govt extend that opportunity to others?
👀 see Manchester where ‘build baby build’ has been embraced yet there’s been +50% rent rises & mass displacement
October 21, 2025 at 12:56 PM
More from me on #PoliticsLive:
🤔 Labour MP said she benefited from safe & secure as a kid, as did many, so why won’t govt extend that opportunity to others?
👀 see Manchester where ‘build baby build’ has been embraced yet there’s been +50% rent rises & mass displacement
🤔 Labour MP said she benefited from safe & secure as a kid, as did many, so why won’t govt extend that opportunity to others?
👀 see Manchester where ‘build baby build’ has been embraced yet there’s been +50% rent rises & mass displacement
Ahead of my appearance on Panorama tonight, I was on #PoliticsLive talking about how the government aren’t fixing the housing crisis. They’re ignoring 172k children in temporary accommodation, refusing to address *astronomical rents* & siding with developers (but denying it!)
October 20, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Ahead of my appearance on Panorama tonight, I was on #PoliticsLive talking about how the government aren’t fixing the housing crisis. They’re ignoring 172k children in temporary accommodation, refusing to address *astronomical rents* & siding with developers (but denying it!)
Monthly rents hit record high with North West seeing sharpest increase of +9.7% on last year
This is not an inevitably! The housing crisis is manufactured by those extracting profit
Controls on rents are *essential* for individuals, families & the wider economy
This is not an inevitably! The housing crisis is manufactured by those extracting profit
Controls on rents are *essential* for individuals, families & the wider economy
September 5, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Monthly rents hit record high with North West seeing sharpest increase of +9.7% on last year
This is not an inevitably! The housing crisis is manufactured by those extracting profit
Controls on rents are *essential* for individuals, families & the wider economy
This is not an inevitably! The housing crisis is manufactured by those extracting profit
Controls on rents are *essential* for individuals, families & the wider economy
Huge kudos to the New Yorkers who worked tirelessly for this. Another city is possible ❤️🔥
June 25, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Huge kudos to the New Yorkers who worked tirelessly for this. Another city is possible ❤️🔥
Details on where you can see the exhibition over coming months👇
June 16, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Details on where you can see the exhibition over coming months👇
Been a pleasure & privilege to work with residents in Custom House & colleagues from @royalcollegeofart.bsky.social who created these beautiful outputs.
No change to a community done without them, is for them ✊❤️🔥
No change to a community done without them, is for them ✊❤️🔥
June 16, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Been a pleasure & privilege to work with residents in Custom House & colleagues from @royalcollegeofart.bsky.social who created these beautiful outputs.
No change to a community done without them, is for them ✊❤️🔥
No change to a community done without them, is for them ✊❤️🔥
An always welcome reminder that if we taxed billionaires we’d raised a lot of much needed money for crumbling public services
📍Aigburth, Liverpool
📍Aigburth, Liverpool
June 13, 2025 at 5:39 AM
An always welcome reminder that if we taxed billionaires we’d raised a lot of much needed money for crumbling public services
📍Aigburth, Liverpool
📍Aigburth, Liverpool
City allotments have to be some of the best spots ever 🌞
June 10, 2025 at 5:31 PM
City allotments have to be some of the best spots ever 🌞
Emergency protest in Liverpool today:
June 9, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Emergency protest in Liverpool today:
Call script from Sisters Uncut for the FCDO to demand the UK government uphold their duty to protect the #Madleen, a ship sailing under a British flag being unlawfully detained by Israeli forces.
June 9, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Call script from Sisters Uncut for the FCDO to demand the UK government uphold their duty to protect the #Madleen, a ship sailing under a British flag being unlawfully detained by Israeli forces.
Ashamed that the city I live in has an elected MP who is literally announcing proudly he’s against equality. Residents remember the platform he got elected on…
June 2, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Ashamed that the city I live in has an elected MP who is literally announcing proudly he’s against equality. Residents remember the platform he got elected on…
Free support sessions for children & young people impacted by the Liverpool parade incident. Support also available for parents/carers.
Sign up here: befreecampaign.org/lfc-parade-sup…
Sign up here: befreecampaign.org/lfc-parade-sup…
May 27, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Free support sessions for children & young people impacted by the Liverpool parade incident. Support also available for parents/carers.
Sign up here: befreecampaign.org/lfc-parade-sup…
Sign up here: befreecampaign.org/lfc-parade-sup…
It is just impossible for those on low incomes to live even close to good quality lives in this country.
This is before we take in account housing costs & the fact that most public services are already broken
This is before we take in account housing costs & the fact that most public services are already broken
May 21, 2025 at 6:08 AM
It is just impossible for those on low incomes to live even close to good quality lives in this country.
This is before we take in account housing costs & the fact that most public services are already broken
This is before we take in account housing costs & the fact that most public services are already broken
This friday @lraction.uk are hosting the formidable @city.bsky.social to discuss “Abolish rent”
I have the honour of chairing the discussion, we’ll talk: rent controls, founding tenants unions, the concept of rent, landlords as “housing providers, organising across place & more
Free event! ❤️🔥
I have the honour of chairing the discussion, we’ll talk: rent controls, founding tenants unions, the concept of rent, landlords as “housing providers, organising across place & more
Free event! ❤️🔥
May 20, 2025 at 6:24 PM
This friday @lraction.uk are hosting the formidable @city.bsky.social to discuss “Abolish rent”
I have the honour of chairing the discussion, we’ll talk: rent controls, founding tenants unions, the concept of rent, landlords as “housing providers, organising across place & more
Free event! ❤️🔥
I have the honour of chairing the discussion, we’ll talk: rent controls, founding tenants unions, the concept of rent, landlords as “housing providers, organising across place & more
Free event! ❤️🔥
Decided it was high time to pay (small) homage to home, the PhD & the incredible folk I am lucky to know & love who spend everyday fighting for housing justice across the world ❤️🔥
May 20, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Decided it was high time to pay (small) homage to home, the PhD & the incredible folk I am lucky to know & love who spend everyday fighting for housing justice across the world ❤️🔥
Spent a sunny day in Harrow doing political education with tenants at the sharp end of the housing crisis. Forever in awe of how communities are able to mobilise & offer love & solidarity to one another, despite living through abysmal conditions. If only the politicians would.
May 17, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Spent a sunny day in Harrow doing political education with tenants at the sharp end of the housing crisis. Forever in awe of how communities are able to mobilise & offer love & solidarity to one another, despite living through abysmal conditions. If only the politicians would.
At Marine & just got called Jamie Redknapp by South Shields fan, fair play
April 26, 2025 at 3:04 PM
At Marine & just got called Jamie Redknapp by South Shields fan, fair play
Really looking forward to delivering some political education work with the amazing folk in Harrow ❤️🔥
April 18, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Really looking forward to delivering some political education work with the amazing folk in Harrow ❤️🔥
Consecutive governments - blue & red, including the current - have failed the 97, their families & supporters. The establishment will always choose themselves over us.
We won’t forget. And we will never stop fighting.
Justice for 97. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, always ❤️🔥 #JFT97
We won’t forget. And we will never stop fighting.
Justice for 97. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, always ❤️🔥 #JFT97
April 14, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Consecutive governments - blue & red, including the current - have failed the 97, their families & supporters. The establishment will always choose themselves over us.
We won’t forget. And we will never stop fighting.
Justice for 97. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, always ❤️🔥 #JFT97
We won’t forget. And we will never stop fighting.
Justice for 97. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, always ❤️🔥 #JFT97
Is your landlord a housing association? Are you living with disrepair? Seeing your rent being invested in shiny new builds not your home?
Do you want to learn how research can help you challenge this? Join this Weds 3pm to learn how! Free, all fighting housing injustice welcome
Do you want to learn how research can help you challenge this? Join this Weds 3pm to learn how! Free, all fighting housing injustice welcome
April 14, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Is your landlord a housing association? Are you living with disrepair? Seeing your rent being invested in shiny new builds not your home?
Do you want to learn how research can help you challenge this? Join this Weds 3pm to learn how! Free, all fighting housing injustice welcome
Do you want to learn how research can help you challenge this? Join this Weds 3pm to learn how! Free, all fighting housing injustice welcome
The Labour MP for Walton, son of a docker, knows all too well who smashed the trade unions & it wasn’t progressive politics.
Really disappointing - and importantly totally unnecessary stuff - from Dan Carden, MP in Labours 3rd safest seat.
Really disappointing - and importantly totally unnecessary stuff - from Dan Carden, MP in Labours 3rd safest seat.
February 2, 2025 at 9:30 AM
The Labour MP for Walton, son of a docker, knows all too well who smashed the trade unions & it wasn’t progressive politics.
Really disappointing - and importantly totally unnecessary stuff - from Dan Carden, MP in Labours 3rd safest seat.
Really disappointing - and importantly totally unnecessary stuff - from Dan Carden, MP in Labours 3rd safest seat.
More detrimental U turns from the Prime Minister.
The planning system is a key democratic function in our society & the climate collapse is the fundamental emergency of our times… yet the government are unapologetically discarding both
The planning system is a key democratic function in our society & the climate collapse is the fundamental emergency of our times… yet the government are unapologetically discarding both
January 23, 2025 at 8:22 AM
More detrimental U turns from the Prime Minister.
The planning system is a key democratic function in our society & the climate collapse is the fundamental emergency of our times… yet the government are unapologetically discarding both
The planning system is a key democratic function in our society & the climate collapse is the fundamental emergency of our times… yet the government are unapologetically discarding both
All welcome to our next public meeting!
The housing crisis isn’t going to fix itself…
The housing crisis isn’t going to fix itself…
January 22, 2025 at 8:10 PM
All welcome to our next public meeting!
The housing crisis isn’t going to fix itself…
The housing crisis isn’t going to fix itself…