Martin O'Neill
@martinoneill.bsky.social
Dad of four; London-Irish turned northerner; Arsenal fan; professor of political philosophy at the University of York; trustee at the Democracy Collaborative. Writing about the theory and practice of social and economic justice.
This is just a Michael D. Higgins appreciation post. A truly wonderful President of Ireland, and a man with great taste in books. Wishing him all health and happiness (and time to read) in his retirement! @communitywealth.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 8:53 PM
This is just a Michael D. Higgins appreciation post. A truly wonderful President of Ireland, and a man with great taste in books. Wishing him all health and happiness (and time to read) in his retirement! @communitywealth.bsky.social
Things are looking good for both Arsenal *and* democratic socialism now!
November 5, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Things are looking good for both Arsenal *and* democratic socialism now!
Things are looking good for both Arsenal *and* democratic socialism now!
November 5, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Things are looking good for both Arsenal *and* democratic socialism now!
Fingers crossed that today we’ll see a socialist elected as Mayor of New York City. Zohran Mamdani’s campaign shows there’s a huge appetite for practical socialist policies, building public infrastructure and addressing the cost of living. There’s political hope for the future! #VoteZohran #Mamdani
November 4, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Fingers crossed that today we’ll see a socialist elected as Mayor of New York City. Zohran Mamdani’s campaign shows there’s a huge appetite for practical socialist policies, building public infrastructure and addressing the cost of living. There’s political hope for the future! #VoteZohran #Mamdani
Rather a lovely sunset here at the University of York @york.ac.uk, to mark the end of a busy teaching week, and the start of the welcome break of our “Consolidation Week”.
@uoylibrary.bsky.social
www.york.ac.uk/students/new...
@uoylibrary.bsky.social
www.york.ac.uk/students/new...
October 24, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Rather a lovely sunset here at the University of York @york.ac.uk, to mark the end of a busy teaching week, and the start of the welcome break of our “Consolidation Week”.
@uoylibrary.bsky.social
www.york.ac.uk/students/new...
@uoylibrary.bsky.social
www.york.ac.uk/students/new...
Obviously I don’t actually have a vote in the Irish Presidential election today, but if I did have a vote, I’d be voting for Catherine Connolly!
October 24, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Obviously I don’t actually have a vote in the Irish Presidential election today, but if I did have a vote, I’d be voting for Catherine Connolly!
Today the Fairness Foundation @fairness.bsky.social
has published this report by Howard Reed and me.
In it we make the case for reforming the UK’s approach to taxing wealth: shifting *away* from taxing income from work, and towards wealth taxes.
fairnessfoundation.com/win-win-win
has published this report by Howard Reed and me.
In it we make the case for reforming the UK’s approach to taxing wealth: shifting *away* from taxing income from work, and towards wealth taxes.
fairnessfoundation.com/win-win-win
October 15, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Today the Fairness Foundation @fairness.bsky.social
has published this report by Howard Reed and me.
In it we make the case for reforming the UK’s approach to taxing wealth: shifting *away* from taxing income from work, and towards wealth taxes.
fairnessfoundation.com/win-win-win
has published this report by Howard Reed and me.
In it we make the case for reforming the UK’s approach to taxing wealth: shifting *away* from taxing income from work, and towards wealth taxes.
fairnessfoundation.com/win-win-win
Martin Keown: “If that was a game of chess, then it’s game, set and match to Arsenal.”
October 1, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Martin Keown: “If that was a game of chess, then it’s game, set and match to Arsenal.”
I’m sorry to learn that Jonathan Lear has died. His book Radical Hope is one of the deepest and wisest books I’ve read this decade. If you’ve not read it, I’d recommend it. It’s a book for the dark times we’re in.
September 22, 2025 at 9:01 PM
I’m sorry to learn that Jonathan Lear has died. His book Radical Hope is one of the deepest and wisest books I’ve read this decade. If you’ve not read it, I’d recommend it. It’s a book for the dark times we’re in.
Tomorrow I’ll be walking 44km - from the Wolfe Tone statue in Bantry to the Mizen Head — along with 150+ others, as part of the Walk4Gaza organised by West Cork for Palestine 🇮🇪🤝🇵🇸
We’re raising funds for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social
Here’s the link for sponsorship:
gofund.me/ddbffc85
We’re raising funds for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social
Here’s the link for sponsorship:
gofund.me/ddbffc85
August 8, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Tomorrow I’ll be walking 44km - from the Wolfe Tone statue in Bantry to the Mizen Head — along with 150+ others, as part of the Walk4Gaza organised by West Cork for Palestine 🇮🇪🤝🇵🇸
We’re raising funds for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social
Here’s the link for sponsorship:
gofund.me/ddbffc85
We’re raising funds for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social
Here’s the link for sponsorship:
gofund.me/ddbffc85
Wonderful to see the cover of today’s @yorkpress.bsky.social
Support for @rachaelmaskell.bsky.social here in York is solid and staunch, in *or out* of the Labour Party:
People will support principled politicians who stick to their guns, do what justice demands, and look out for those in need.
Support for @rachaelmaskell.bsky.social here in York is solid and staunch, in *or out* of the Labour Party:
People will support principled politicians who stick to their guns, do what justice demands, and look out for those in need.
July 18, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Wonderful to see the cover of today’s @yorkpress.bsky.social
Support for @rachaelmaskell.bsky.social here in York is solid and staunch, in *or out* of the Labour Party:
People will support principled politicians who stick to their guns, do what justice demands, and look out for those in need.
Support for @rachaelmaskell.bsky.social here in York is solid and staunch, in *or out* of the Labour Party:
People will support principled politicians who stick to their guns, do what justice demands, and look out for those in need.
Rachael Maskell has been doing brilliant work protecting the needs and well-being of disabled people and of other vulnerable members of our society.
She is one of the very best people in parliament.
Keir Starmer is out of his nasty, authoritarian little mind to suspend her.
She is one of the very best people in parliament.
Keir Starmer is out of his nasty, authoritarian little mind to suspend her.
July 16, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Rachael Maskell has been doing brilliant work protecting the needs and well-being of disabled people and of other vulnerable members of our society.
She is one of the very best people in parliament.
Keir Starmer is out of his nasty, authoritarian little mind to suspend her.
She is one of the very best people in parliament.
Keir Starmer is out of his nasty, authoritarian little mind to suspend her.
Jonathan Sumption, historian and former Supreme Court judge, well known as a conservative thinker, on Israel’s “collective punishment” and war crimes in Gaza.
Starmer, Lammy and the rest of them should be held to account for their complicity in these crimes against humanity.
Starmer, Lammy and the rest of them should be held to account for their complicity in these crimes against humanity.
July 16, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Jonathan Sumption, historian and former Supreme Court judge, well known as a conservative thinker, on Israel’s “collective punishment” and war crimes in Gaza.
Starmer, Lammy and the rest of them should be held to account for their complicity in these crimes against humanity.
Starmer, Lammy and the rest of them should be held to account for their complicity in these crimes against humanity.
Civil disobedience is not “terrorism”.
Civil disobedience is an essential part of a healthy democratic society.
The Labour MPs who have voted to proscribe Palestine Action 🇵🇸 as a “terrorist organisation” have lost their moral compass, shamed themselves, and undermined democratic values.
Civil disobedience is an essential part of a healthy democratic society.
The Labour MPs who have voted to proscribe Palestine Action 🇵🇸 as a “terrorist organisation” have lost their moral compass, shamed themselves, and undermined democratic values.
July 2, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Civil disobedience is not “terrorism”.
Civil disobedience is an essential part of a healthy democratic society.
The Labour MPs who have voted to proscribe Palestine Action 🇵🇸 as a “terrorist organisation” have lost their moral compass, shamed themselves, and undermined democratic values.
Civil disobedience is an essential part of a healthy democratic society.
The Labour MPs who have voted to proscribe Palestine Action 🇵🇸 as a “terrorist organisation” have lost their moral compass, shamed themselves, and undermined democratic values.
“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.”
Starmer’s policy: a transfer of resources from the poorest, straight to the arms industry.
Starmer’s policy: a transfer of resources from the poorest, straight to the arms industry.
June 25, 2025 at 8:39 AM
“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.”
Starmer’s policy: a transfer of resources from the poorest, straight to the arms industry.
Starmer’s policy: a transfer of resources from the poorest, straight to the arms industry.
Honoured to be one of fifty writers asked by @bostonreview.bsky.social to write about the riches in the magazine's archive, to mark their 50th anniversary.
My choice was Philippe Van Parijs's classic forum essay from 2000, “A Basic Income For All” (links below!). [1/3]
My choice was Philippe Van Parijs's classic forum essay from 2000, “A Basic Income For All” (links below!). [1/3]
June 15, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Honoured to be one of fifty writers asked by @bostonreview.bsky.social to write about the riches in the magazine's archive, to mark their 50th anniversary.
My choice was Philippe Van Parijs's classic forum essay from 2000, “A Basic Income For All” (links below!). [1/3]
My choice was Philippe Van Parijs's classic forum essay from 2000, “A Basic Income For All” (links below!). [1/3]
RIP Sebastião Salgado. One of the greatest of photographers.
May 23, 2025 at 3:51 PM
RIP Sebastião Salgado. One of the greatest of photographers.
Great to take delivery of my copy of the new book by my former PhD supervisor, Tim Scanlon: it’s a @politybooks.bsky.social collection of his more recent essays on morality and responsibility.
Tim published just one book in the twentieth century, but this is his fifth book in the twenty-first!
Tim published just one book in the twentieth century, but this is his fifth book in the twenty-first!
May 20, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Great to take delivery of my copy of the new book by my former PhD supervisor, Tim Scanlon: it’s a @politybooks.bsky.social collection of his more recent essays on morality and responsibility.
Tim published just one book in the twentieth century, but this is his fifth book in the twenty-first!
Tim published just one book in the twentieth century, but this is his fifth book in the twenty-first!
A nice unexpected email from OUP yesterday, to say that the book that Shepley Orr and I edited together, *Taxation: Philosophical Perspectives* is going to be translated into Chinese.
Shepley, who sadly passed away just a few months after the book came out in 2018, would have loved this news.
Shepley, who sadly passed away just a few months after the book came out in 2018, would have loved this news.
May 17, 2025 at 8:41 AM
A nice unexpected email from OUP yesterday, to say that the book that Shepley Orr and I edited together, *Taxation: Philosophical Perspectives* is going to be translated into Chinese.
Shepley, who sadly passed away just a few months after the book came out in 2018, would have loved this news.
Shepley, who sadly passed away just a few months after the book came out in 2018, would have loved this news.
Vittorio Bufacchi @vittorio66.bsky.social of @uccphilosophy.bsky.social in defence of #Kneecap @kneecapceol.bsky.social (& against the crude attempts at censorship from some contemptible, self-publicising politicians), via Wittgenstein, Charles Taylor, and Hannah Arendt, in the @irishtimes.com 👏👏👏
May 3, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Vittorio Bufacchi @vittorio66.bsky.social of @uccphilosophy.bsky.social in defence of #Kneecap @kneecapceol.bsky.social (& against the crude attempts at censorship from some contemptible, self-publicising politicians), via Wittgenstein, Charles Taylor, and Hannah Arendt, in the @irishtimes.com 👏👏👏
Best wishes for May Day! Here’s to better political times ahead. The future does not have to be just like the present! 🌹✊
May 1, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Best wishes for May Day! Here’s to better political times ahead. The future does not have to be just like the present! 🌹✊
Happy International Women’s Day! Here’s a poster of what must have been a fantastic event that took place on International Women’s Day 1975 (which was also a Saturday, and the day I was born!).
March 8, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Happy International Women’s Day! Here’s a poster of what must have been a fantastic event that took place on International Women’s Day 1975 (which was also a Saturday, and the day I was born!).
Labour under Starmer keeps the two-child limit on benefits, and now pledges to halve spending on international aid.
Both are policies that harm the vulnerable; and both are policies would have been rejected as both immoral and counterproductive by New Labour under Blair and Brown.
Both are policies that harm the vulnerable; and both are policies would have been rejected as both immoral and counterproductive by New Labour under Blair and Brown.
February 28, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Labour under Starmer keeps the two-child limit on benefits, and now pledges to halve spending on international aid.
Both are policies that harm the vulnerable; and both are policies would have been rejected as both immoral and counterproductive by New Labour under Blair and Brown.
Both are policies that harm the vulnerable; and both are policies would have been rejected as both immoral and counterproductive by New Labour under Blair and Brown.
One of the nicest things about getting older as an academic is when you get the opportunity to teach your current students the work of one of your former students! 😊
And for anyone interested in the political theory of UBI, I recommend this essay by Juliana Uhuru Bidadanure 👇
And for anyone interested in the political theory of UBI, I recommend this essay by Juliana Uhuru Bidadanure 👇
February 25, 2025 at 10:24 AM
One of the nicest things about getting older as an academic is when you get the opportunity to teach your current students the work of one of your former students! 😊
And for anyone interested in the political theory of UBI, I recommend this essay by Juliana Uhuru Bidadanure 👇
And for anyone interested in the political theory of UBI, I recommend this essay by Juliana Uhuru Bidadanure 👇
Interesting short piece by Piketty in Le Monde yesterday, on Trump and on how Europe should respond to him.
www.lemonde.fr/blog/piketty...
www.lemonde.fr/blog/piketty...
February 19, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Interesting short piece by Piketty in Le Monde yesterday, on Trump and on how Europe should respond to him.
www.lemonde.fr/blog/piketty...
www.lemonde.fr/blog/piketty...