iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

New Substack article! I’m generally of two minds when it comes to Burnham and his government. I also can’t help but see an echo of Blair vs Brown within the whole Starmer vs Burnham story. History happens twice. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

The UK gets another Prime Minister

The UK has another PM and, whilst the character of Burnham’s government is only just becoming clear, I’m of two minds. There are reasons for optimism and pessimism both.

100

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

New article. The UK right appears to be splitting into three distinct ideological groupings, each of which is likely to develop or acquire its own political formation within the UK’s emerging multiparty system. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

Reform, Restore and Conservatives. The three way split of the UK right.

The UK right has split into three ideological groups: the moderate right, the hard right and the far right. It’s increasingly likely that they’ll cement themselves in rival parties.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

There is a clear and dangerous authoritarian tinge to the UK's far-right parties, so, at the risk of hyperbole, I thought it worth sketching out the most probable shape that the imposition of any such authoritarian tendency is likely to take within the UK context. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

The shape of tyranny if Reform UK wins. Authoritarian chaos

There is a distinct and growing possibility of authoritarianism in the UK. The current situation indicates, however, that it will be a weak and chaotic form of tyranny.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

For all the chaos of UK politics, there are some stabilising trends which have, so far, prevented a total collapse of the business-as-usual two party setup. However, these stabilising tendencies are not robust and are undermining themselves. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

Multi-party chaos. Stability and instability in the UK. Part 2: The clash of opposing trends

In previous articles, I've been primarily focused on the destabilising trends of UK politics, but there are stabilising counter-trends as well. Part 2 of 2.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

I’ve often written about the economic factors of political destabilisation, but whilst I think this is a vital element, I don’t think it's the full story. Here, I want to sketch a preliminary outline of the countertrends and their long-term implications. Part 1 open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

Multi-party chaos. Stability and instability in the UK. Part 1: The two trends of UK politics

In previous articles, I've been primarily focused on the destabalising trends of UK politics, but there are stabilising counter-trends as well. Part 1 of 2.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Any restrictions on the trade unions should be condemned as a form of voter suppression. Unions are among the only popular organisations that are able to reliably fund political campaigns, such that restricting them will put political influence beyond the means of people who desperately need it.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

The fact that a party with 400 MPs has had to look outside of Parliament to find a suitable leader is a testament to the decay of UK politics.

010

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

If Burnham is elected, he could do a lot of damage control for Labour. He'll be fighting an uphill battle, but the bar for success is very low right now. If he can prevent Labour from becoming insignificant in 2029, the party should count that as a great success. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

Burnham, Makerfield and the implications for 2029

Andy Burnhan’s premiership could be the most left leaning in decades, but for Labour it will chiefly be damage control.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Given that Starmer had no apparent vision or plan for his time as PM, I can’t help but think he’s clinging to the office chiefly because he sees it as a means of self-aggrandisement. It's yet another reason that he shouldn't have it.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

For anyone who thought that history ended in the 90s, and a lot of people did, the inevitable continuation of history must invariably seem like an aberration or mistake. This can lead to a flawed analysis.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

The sensationalist priorities of the 24-hour news cycle, with our shortening attention spans and the financial market’s overnight reactions, have left us generally ill-prepared to deal with the long-term trends of Trumpism. His short-term pivoting ends up concealing the overall direction of travel.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

New Substack Article With the governments of both major UK parties having rapidly descended into scandals, U-turns and Prime Ministerial defenestrations, it has become increasingly undeniable that Westminster politics itself is fundamentally broken. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

Westminster politics is fundamentally broken. Starmer’s fall and the degeneration of the UK political class

Both major parties have, in short order, succumbed to scandals, U-turns and Prime Ministerial defenestrations. It can no longer be reasonably denied that Westminster politics is broken.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

Trump seldom chickens out for long. The standdowns are usually just a temporary reprieve in which he watches the reaction of his opponents and supporters. Then, if the pushback isn't too substantial or long-lasting (and sometimes it is), he does it again.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

New Article Starmer had a bit of media whiplash in the last few weeks. A stint of somewhat positive headlines was interrupted by a fresh bout of scandals. The whiplash may indicate an emerging contradiction in the UK political class’s relationship to US elites open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

Starmer’s Polling and the Special Relationship

The UK government’s newfound willingness to criticise Trump is a welcome development, but I’m not convinced Starmer would have chosen to do it. His hand was forced by his domestic failures.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

New Article. The managerial caution of the UK government, and its focus on non-existent private investment, has allowed deep-seated structural vulnerabilities to go unaddressed in an age of crisis. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

Reeves and the Crisis. The Limits of Technocracy in An Age of Global Crisis.

The UK Government's unwillingness to take bold policy stances during an era of international crisis is deeply irresponsible. They are allowing the UK’s structural vulnerabilities to go unaddressed.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Despite their perhaps similar policies, there are genuine reasons for Your Party and the Greens to exist as separate formations, which I’ve tried to begin exploring in this article. This is part 1 of 2. milooneil.substack.com/p/what-disti...

milooneil.substack.com

What Distinguishes the Greens and Your Party? Why the UK Needs Two Left-Wing Parties. Part 1: Observations

What distinguishes the socialist left from the green left? And what distinguishes their associated Party formations? Part one of a two-part series.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

New article Free market capitalism generates conflict, but it also appears (throughout history) to be structurally incapable of responding to the conflicts that it creates. An observation and theory. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

Trump, Empire, and Iran. The Capitalist Limits of a Military Empire. A Theory

Despite its industrial militarism, free market capitalism is largely incapable of sustaining the prolonged conflicts that it causes, which is now being seen in Iran.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

My last #Substack article of the year. There’s a contradiction in UK politics that, I suspect, may explain the constant chaos and facilitate neoliberal dominance. Politicians pursue power, but avoid obligations. In this article, I’ve explored this contradiction. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

Establishment Contradictions. Why UK Politicians are Terrible. A Theory

An examination of the contradictory behaviour of UK politicans and a possible explanation of their ineptitude.

021

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

New #Substack Article My take on the #YourParty conference. I’m feeling fairly optimistic about it. The membership is highly engaged, and I think there’s a lot of potential. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

The Your Party Conference. There Is Still Potential.

Every democratic movement starts out looking chaotic. It doesn't mean they've failed.

010

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

New #Substack post. Given the global surge of #authoritarianism, I wanted to examine the likelihood of a would-be #UK authoritarian succeeding at imposing their rule within the UK’s economic context. I’ve had to split this into multiple parts. milooneil.substack.com/p/britain-an...

milooneil.substack.com

Britain and Dictatorship. How likely is authoritarianism in the UK? Part 1

Will the UK succumb to a Trump-style authoritarianism?

010

Reposted by Milo O’Neil

Jeremy Corbyn @jeremycorbyn.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

Trial by jury is a cornerstone of our democracy and an essential safeguard against authoritarianism. It is truly frightening that such a fundamental freedom is now under attack. Once rights are lost, they are not easy to win back. We must resist this with all we’ve got.

8370135

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

A #Substack article I wrote about the shutdown capitulation in the #US In short, neoliberal #democrats fear #socialism more than they fear Trump As the shutdown dragged on, they became paranoid about empowering the socialists and ultimately caved to avoid it milooneil.substack.com/p/democrats-...

milooneil.substack.com

Democrats and the Shutdown. Why Did the Democrat Senators Capitulate? A Theory.

The Neoliberal dislike of Socialism compels law makers to capitulate

010

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

My latest #Substack article On the collapse of the UK state, the breakup of the union, and a possible constitutional crisis. milooneil.substack.com/p/collapse-a...

milooneil.substack.com

Collapse and Disintegration. The Withdrawal of the UK State and the breakup of the Union.

The UK is entering a cycle of collapse and political stagnation.

020

Reposted by Milo O’Neil

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

1. Placing these two graphs side by side shows why we have a prisons crisis. They can also be seen as a kind of Authoritarianism Index, showing the trend in state attitudes. On the left is the Crime Survey for England and Wales. On the right is the UK prison population. 🧵1/8

Crime survey for England Wales, showing strong decline since 1996. Source: Office for National Statistics. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingjune2025

UK prison population, showing major rise in England and Wales during the period in which crime has fallen. Source: House of Commons Library https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn04334/

27432162

Reposted by Milo O’Neil

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 10/11/2025

When was the last time anyone at the BBC had to resign for misrepresenting a leftwinger?

691875452

Reposted by Milo O’Neil

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 09/11/2025

The rule of law has delivered: Profiteering Poverty Poor housing Low wages/pensions Queues for hospital appointments Premature death to many Sewage in rivers Cuts in spending on essential services Closure of libraries, community centres. Whose law, who rules? Govts appease corporations/rich.

leftfootforward.org

Nothing will change until the political system is freed from the clutches of corporations and the super-rich

The law is being used to enforce existing power structures for the benefit of the few

6320143

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

The US establishment (Democrats and Republicans both) did everything they could to block #Mamdani, and he still won! The demands for socialism are growing louder and louder.

010

Reposted by Milo O’Neil

Owen Jones @owenjones.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Absolutely insane. Labour would have purged and smeared someone like Zohran Mamdani. Wes Streeting's politics align far more closely with Andrew Cuomo. The lessons from Mamdani are about how to defeat both the right - and the bankrupt "centre".

1113900668

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

New #Substack This is a defence of the #GreenParty’s proposed cap on executive pay (they’ve suggested a 10:1 ratio), which many capitalists predictably oppose. I argue that the role of a corporate executive, and the CEO in particular, is often performative. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

The Myth of the Executive. Why executive pay ratios should be capped.

A defence of the Green Party’s proposed 10:1 pay ratio.

020

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

It’s often said that it’s the government that loses, not the opposition that wins. Now within a few years, a Tory and Labour government have lost everything they’ve had for a century. As things stand, the 2034 UK election will be a contest between the Green party and Reform. 2029 could be as well.

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

Clownish politicians succeed because politics has become ridiculous It's out of touch and obsessed with trivia, which makes many serious politicians look foolish The disingenuous actors who revel in absurdity, however, appear authentic, like comedians reassuring the audience that it's all an act

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

New #Substack post #Authoritarianism is on the rise, and the institutional safeguards that prevent abuses of power are buckling. I wanted to examine why. My hypothesis is this: institutions can't safeguard democracy because they are not themselves democratic. substack.com/@milooneil/n...

substack.com

Dictatorship by Default. Why institutional safeguards keep failing.

Non-democratic institutions cannot be relied on to preserve democratic norms.

010

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

My latest #Substack article. There’s a stark contradiction in the Conservative Party. It advocates preservation whilst causing destruction. I argue that this contradiction is responsible for its historical dominance, its contemporary collapse, and for Reform. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

Wither the Conservatives. The Strange Death of the UK Conservative Party and the Rise of Reform.

On the contradictory mechanics of the Conservative Party, and its relationship to Reform UK.

010

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

New #Substack article There’s been a bit of discussion in the media lately about whether Farage and Reform UK count as fascist, which I’ve here tried to answer. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

Fascism and Farage. Should Reform UK be understood as a Fascist movement?

The nature of fascism and authoritarian rule

000

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

My most recent #Substack article: Politics as Comedy I’ve the last decade, politicians have behaved in increasingly ridiculous ways (especially the authoritarian right). Here I’ve made some preliminary observations on the nature and mechanics of this trend. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

Politics as Comedy

Politicians who revel in absurdity are easy to ridicule and likely to succeed.

010

Reposted by Milo O’Neil

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 05/10/2025

UK workers using food banks, bosses feast. Melrose CEO, 1,112 times the average employee wage. Tesco, 375 Person, 355 Compass, 330 Marks & Spencer, 261 British Associated Foods, 218 Sainsbury's, 195 Can't rebuild economy/society without equitable distribution of income and wealth.

leftfootforward.org

The government must ensure fair distribution of income

'The average real wage of workers has hardly moved from the 2008 level whilst bosses never had it so good.'

11352156

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

New #Substack article I’m normally pretty optimistic when I write about #YourParty but, while I’m still somewhat optimistic, recent events do have me thinking about leftist infighting The new article is a hypothesis on the material nature of leftist factionalism open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

The Crisis of Your Party and the Factions of the UK Left. A Theory

Preliminary observations and theories on the dominant factions of the UK left.

021

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

New #Substack article My thoughts on Trump's second state visit. The UK's subordination to the US was made very explicit, I think. open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

The UK’s subordination is on full display. Trump’s Second State Visit.

The UK’s vassal status has long been explicit. Now they’re revelling in it.

010

Milo O’Neil @milooneil.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

New #Substack article Some comments on the onset of political repression under Trump’s #authoritarian drive open.substack.com/pub/miloonei...

open.substack.com

Trump, Fear, and Political Repression

The Repressive Fallout of Political Violence

010

Reposted by Milo O’Neil

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

We have struggled to explain the Starmer government. But I think the explanation comes down to two simple forces: 1. A visceral, obsessive hatred of the Labour left. Any progressive policy, however necessary and popular, looks to the inner circle like a dangerous concession to the left. 🧵1/2

65846255