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Paul Kelly

@pjthinker.bsky.social
4.7K followers 3.7K following 2.3K posts

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

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Paul Kelly
Cas Mudde @casmudde.bsky.social · 14h
The decline of Reform — and the fragmentation of the far right — should be a major news story too. But most media barely care… More evidence that media are not “just reporting the news” but are actively shaping it. With significant political consequences.
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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Another addition to the post-liberal collection. For me it will be a slow read but there is much to be gleaned from reviewing references etc. An interesting and important collection covering PL from a European perspective…
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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Another addition to the post-liberal collection. For me it will be a slow read but there is much to be gleaned from reviewing references etc. An interesting and important collection covering PL from a European perspective…
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The night was cold and dark. “Listen to the wind howling in the trees,” said Frog. “What a fine time for a ghost story.”
Frog and Toad craddle warm cups of tea in their hands, as they sit in cozy chairs in front of the fire.

From "Shivers"
In *Days with Frog and Toad*
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
“There was only an old worm asleep on a tree stump.”
Little Frog spies an old worm asleep on a tree stump.

From "The Corner"
In *Frog and Toad All Year*
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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Back after leave First GV100 lecture to bring out the Bow Tie …. @lsegovernment.bsky.social
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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
So we still know little about the Fairford suspects we do know they are not 1.Iranian Nationals who 2. Entered the UK on a small boat. Eventually British politics will have to get serious - not everything is about ‘small boats’ and immigrants…
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Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I'm right here you know ukandeu.ac.uk/immigration-... ukandeu.ac.uk/immigration-...
ukandeu.ac.uk
Immigration is falling - be careful what you wish for - UK in a changing Europe
Today’s immigration figures are the first with any meaningful data after the Brexit vote. And they show – as I predicted back...
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Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Good thing that this couldn’t have been predicted almost a year ago <runs bitter victory lap> and the government didn’t just blithely carry on doing the same thing. www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/718...
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
That night when Toad went to bed he thought the biggest thoughts that he could think. Toad thought about giant sunflowers. He thought about tall oak trees. He thought about high mountains covered with snow.
A glimpse into Toad's mind as he sleeps. He dreams of mountains, giant trees, and sunflowers.

From "The Hat"
In *Days with Frog and Toad*
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Toad sipped his tea. “Frog,” he asked, “are you making this up?” “Maybe yes and maybe no,” said Frog.
Toad leans forward in his chair, sipping tea, transfixed by Frog's ghost story.

From "Shivers"
In *Days with Frog and Toad*
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Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
'Starmer's failure is because we're post-material' is one of those analyses that you only believe if you flatly ignore who 'the remaining Labour voters in May 2026 were' and 'who the voters Labour lost under Starmer were'.
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Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · 26/09/2026
Josh Babarinde MP: "Our volunteer lifeboat crews. These are people who put their lives on the line for us" 👏 "Anyone who should get in their way is pathetic, unpatriotic, and un-British. We're a country that prides ourselves in bringing people together."
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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Went to see the wonderful Comrades in Art: Artists Against Fascism at the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne - preceded by lunch at Lite also at the above. All rather inspiring in these dark times …
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
“I am sorry,” gasped Frog, “but I could not catch your list.” “Blah,” said Toad.
Toad sits forlornly on a rock, listless, while Frog stands beside him, panting.

From "A List"
In *Frog and Toad Together*
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ID @chuffnell.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Glass by Henry Haig in Clifton Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul #StainedGlassSunday
Glass shapes from Britain, Germany and France set in epoxy resin in Clifton’s Roman Catholic cathedral. Glass shapes from Britain, Germany and France set in epoxy resin in Clifton’s Roman Catholic cathedral.
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ID @chuffnell.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Frog and Toad waited a long time. Four days later the snail got to Toad's house and gave him the letter from Frog. Toad was very pleased to have it.
Snail delivers a letter to Toad, who is very happy to receive it.

From "The Letter"
In *Frog and Toad Are Friends*
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
“I walked along the river until I came to another corner. I went around the corner to look for spring.”
Little Frog walks along a riverbank.

From "The Corner"
In *Frog and Toad All Year*
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🌬Breeze @cool-summer-breeze.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
This is the Stolen Neighbors Quilt. Each of the 11,000 squares represents a person taken by ICE in Minnesota.
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@nasarmeer.bsky.social @nasarmeer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
1/ A slightly strange and lovely thing to be able to say, my book The Social Life of Justice is published tomorrow... www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?b...
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Toad fell into the pond.
With a great splash, Toad disappears into the water, leaving only two flailing feet and a swirl of chaos behind.

From "Ice Cream"
In *Frog and Toad All Year*
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
“Frog,” cried Toad, “can you do tricks like this?” “No,” peeped Frog, who looked very, very small.
Frog sits in the auditorium chair, looking ever smaller.

From "The Dream"
In *Frog and Toad Together*
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Hettie O’Brien @hettieobrien.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
My latest Guardian long read is about the people trying to get their ideas into Britain’s new government and whether Burnham is really prepared to be that radical. Grateful to the many people who spoke to me for this - read it online or in Saturday’s paper: www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
theguardian.com
Labour’s last chance? The people shaping Andy Burnham’s grand plans for Britain
The long read: The new prime minister has declared he wants to end 40 years of neoliberalism. But is he really prepared to be that radical?
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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
So will Helen Whately MP stop pensioners benefitting from the triple lock spending their gains on Fags, Betfred and Alcohol or is it ok for the younger generation to contribute to those things? Once you go down this route where do you stop…
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Frog and Toad looked into a mirror. “We look brave,” said Frog. “Yes, but are we?” asked Toad.
Frog and Toad gaze at their own reflections in a mirror. Toad holds in his hands a book titled "Fairy Tales."

From "Dragons and Giants"
In *Frog and Toad Together*
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November Kelly @postoctobrist.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
this was a great read about the evacuation of Chud Saigon www.thedriftmag.com/the-last-day...
thedriftmag.com
The Last Days of the Danube Institute | A Report from Postliberal Budapest
By Brian Goodman. In the wake of Viktor Orbán’s defeat, Budapest’s postliberals face end times.
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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Incentives are undoubtedly important but so are other basic liberties - I guess Rawls point is that we need to look at the whole package and not just fetishise cash as libertarians think…
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
This week on Origin Story: The life & ideas of John Rawls, the most celebrated liberal philosopher of the post-war period. These are some of the most beautiful arguments in progressive thought. We do it as a one hour crash course. Everything you need to know. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/j...
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Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Endangering another during a journey by sea; criminal damage; carrying an offensive weapon; possession of a bladed article; conduct endangering ships or individuals; unlawfully and intentionally destroying a ship breaching section 11 of the aviation and maritime security act;
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Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
...wilfully obstructing or hindering an emergency worker responding to emergency services; breach of section 58 of the merchant shipping act under both deliberate intent and captain’s negligence. That's nine possibilities for starters?
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Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Started watching Sky’s War Game last night where Michael Gove is the PM during the Russian attack and I’m afraid it is just very difficult to watch it without thinking of this, one of the great cartoons ever published
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Lyndsey Stonebridge @lyndseystonebri.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Great piece by my friend Brian Goodman. The Last Days of the Danube Institute www.thedriftmag.com/the-last-day...
thedriftmag.com
The Last Days of the Danube Institute | A Report from Postliberal Budapest
By Brian Goodman. In the wake of Viktor Orbán’s defeat, Budapest’s postliberals face end times.
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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
www.thedriftmag.com/the-last-day... Interesting piece on the Potemkin village of postliberal Budapest but Goodmans piece ends with the note that perhaps all is not done with Orbanite Postliberalism as it returns to the US.
thedriftmag.com
The Last Days of the Danube Institute | A Report from Postliberal Budapest
By Brian Goodman. In the wake of Viktor Orbán’s defeat, Budapest’s postliberals face end times.
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
“Your windows need scrubbing,” said Frog. “Your plants need watering.” “Tomorrow!” cried Toad. “I will do it all tomorrow!”
Frog, ever the know-it-all, points out all the shortcomings of Toad's housekeeping. It is true, though, that Toad's house is a mighty mess, including a pile of dirty dishes in the sink.

From "Tomorrow"
In *Days with Frog and Toad*
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Danny Fearns @dannyfearns.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Next time a conspiracy theorist tries to tell you what really happened, confront them with an even more outlandish theory and accuse them of trying to cover up the truth… 
Conversation between two ladies "the moon landing was faked!"
"Pfft, you believe in the moon?"
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Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
My review of “Sunak at 10: The Last Conservative Prime Minister” (in this month’s Literary Review - highly recommend if you love books).
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Toad found a frying pan in the kitchen. “I will hit that big animal with this,” said Toad. “All of his teeth will fall out.”
Toad grabs a cast iron skillet from his kitchen.

From "Christmas Eve"
In *Frog and Toad All Year*
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Toad found some rope in the cellar. “I will pull Frog out of the hole with this,” said Toad.
Toad finds a long piece of rope in his basement.

From "Christmas Eve"
In *Frog and Toad All Year*
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Stephen Collins @stephencollins.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

1
Wide shot of the BRITISH MUSEUM. There are suggestions of fascism around the streets - tanks, barricades, an Orwellian 'Big Brother'-style poster on a wall. A voice of a TOUR GUIDE emanates from the museum:

TOUR GUIDE:
So the Tapestry tells acrucial chapter of our nation's history...

2 
[Cut to interior of museum. A long Bayeaux-style TAPESTRY is on display, and the Tour Guide is speaking to a tour group]

TOUR GUIDE [smiling]:
How modern fascist Britain was created. 

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TOUR GUIDE:
The Tapestry begins here with the 2008 Crash, then austerity, then the AI Crash...

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TOUR GUIDE:
...and by the end of the room it's just full-on fash. 

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CHILD IN TOUR GROUP [gesturing to the tapestry]:
What's this middle bit?

TOUR GUIDE:
This is the 2026 Battle of Legitimate Concerns 

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TOUR GUIDE:
[show a reporter standing next to the Dover protests]
Here's the media saying the government have got to do something about the legitimate concerns...

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CHILD:
...About the failure of capitalism?

TOUR GUIDE:
No about brown people on boats

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CHILD:
[pointing at boats crossing the sea on the tapestry]
Are these boats the mega-dinghies?

TOUR GUIDE:
Not all of them

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[we see one of the boats  is a giant yacht]
TOUR GUIDE:
That one's a superyacht,
carrying money from the American fascists to the British ones.

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TOUR GUIDE:
You see really it's as much a story of convergence as it is of conflict.

[An alarm sounds in the museum]
DING DING DING DING 

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TOUR GUIDE:
Ok, tour over everyone 

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TOUR GUIDE:
It's time for the Two Minute Hate!

[They all leave the museum]

[ends]
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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
After spending mst Sundays with articles and opinion pieces on how rubbish UK universities are we have the one week of the @thetimes.com Good University guide when they celebrate and promote universities as they know their is money in that - good for LSE with its 2nd place after being 1st two years
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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Turned on BBCr4 Loose ends - presented by @stuartmaconie.bsky.social then turned over to BBC6music to find none other then @stuartmaconie.bsky.social broadcasting at the same time ! This morning guess who when I turn on the radio - good for Stuart but this is getting ridiculous
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
There was Frog. “Hello, Toad,” he said. “I am very sorry to be late. I was wrapping your present.”
Toad encounters Frog on a wintry path. Frog is carrying a beautifully wrapped present.

From "Christmas Eve"
In *Frog and Toad All Year*
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Naomi Smith @pimlicat.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
NEW MRP JUST DROPPED: All but four constituencies in GB support UK membership of the EU. In those four, the most popular option was 'Don't Know' (Ashfield, Clacton, Great Yarmouth and Boston and Skegness).
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Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Fixed that story about Sir Jim Ratcliffe on the BBC.
Picture of man smiling with tea-mug. Headline reads: "Non-Billionaire who actually lives in the UK and pays its taxes says he has lost confidence in the super-rich", with sub-header: 'One of Britain's taxpayers says he has lost confidence in billionaires, describing them as "on the take"".
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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
BBC promotes views of a wealthy crank who doesn’t even live in the UK but Monaco. FGS - have you ever been to Monaco? Nice for a day trip (but Nice is nicer) - as De Gaulle made clear it depends on France for its water supply, defence etc etc., and your neighbours are Russians and Sir Philip Green
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Nate O @nateo.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
This is a literal freebie for journalists to note how Ben Dilo is still Nina Power’s landlord to protect her from paying up after losing her SLAPP suit and, according to Dilo, good friends with her, while she has gone on Claire Khaw’s podcast. Come on. This is free. This isn’t ‘online bullying’
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John Oxley @joxley.jmoxley.co.uk · 18/09/2026
What on earth is happening?
  This had become the new normal. RNLI crew members had been forced to take their permits off their cars after their tyres have been repeatedly slashed. Most of them have been pilloried at the school gates or turned away from local pubs. One man who worked in search and rescue had been beaten unconscious and hospitalised, recognised for TV interviews he had done.
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
“I went back home. When I got there,” said Frog, “I found another corner. It was the corner of my house.” “Did you go around it?” asked Toad. “I went around that corner, too,” said Frog.
Little Frog peaks around the corner of his house.

From "The Corner"
In *Frog and Toad All Year*
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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
“Turtle,” said Frog. “You will have to go away.” “Why should I?” asked the turtle. “Because Toad thinks that he looks funny in his bathing suit, and he does not want you to see him,” said Frog.
Frog tries to convince Turtle to leave so Toad can come out of the water.

From "A Swim"
In *Frog and Toad Are Friends*
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