Matthew O'Connor
@matthewoconnor.bsky.social
My daughter is autistic, my son is not. They're equally annoying. Currently married to @helenskywalker.bsky.social
http://schole.org.uk/
http://schole.org.uk/
Pinned
On what would have been my glorious uncle Bartley's birthday this week, here's a short story about how one of my wife's uncles did the coolest, kindest thing for my side of the family just because he could. 1/
This Man City business is a bit of a pickle. Presumably, independent of whatever sanctions the PL impose, there are now 8 seasons of players, manager, and staff at at least 3 clubs with legitimate claims to bonuses denied them on account of City beating them to the title each year. @seanjones.org?!
September 26, 2026 at 2:38 PM
This Man City business is a bit of a pickle. Presumably, independent of whatever sanctions the PL impose, there are now 8 seasons of players, manager, and staff at at least 3 clubs with legitimate claims to bonuses denied them on account of City beating them to the title each year. @seanjones.org?!
Reposted by Matthew O'Connor
A great little detail from the interview with Salman Rushdie in the latest Sight & Sound.
![The one I regret got away was a one-shot appearance in what was then called Untitled Will Ferrell Nascar Movie and later became Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby [2006]. They had this idea of finding the three least probable Nascar drivers they could think of and have them in racing uniform walking towards the camera in heat-haze slow motion, 'Take My Breath Away' on the soundtrack. As I recall, they wanted Lou Reed, Julian Schnabel and me, but the dates didn't work.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:zcivmn5ryyeuynfmoiyx7kwi/bafkreibxkcrbzcxyeow6g7recvd7jdyczfodeg46t4ra5dpg7ycrp4iiym)
September 6, 2026 at 9:26 PM
A great little detail from the interview with Salman Rushdie in the latest Sight & Sound.
Navy Army and Navy
Sarcoline Tie-Rack
Damson Our Price
August 29, 2026 at 9:58 AM
Navy Army and Navy
Me saying I'll stop doing this is almost as much of a tradition as me actually doing this:
August 19, 2026 at 11:08 PM
Me saying I'll stop doing this is almost as much of a tradition as me actually doing this:
Hey @bobbyfingers.bsky.social, A distinguished Professor of Neuroscience AND a Stirling Prize winner both recently implored me to watch your Johnny Depp Diorama video, so I did and it's now my absolute favourite thing. It's astonishing. Bravo!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGt7...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGt7...
Who Crapped on Johnny Depp's Bed?
YouTube video by Bobby Fingers
www.youtube.com
August 16, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Hey @bobbyfingers.bsky.social, A distinguished Professor of Neuroscience AND a Stirling Prize winner both recently implored me to watch your Johnny Depp Diorama video, so I did and it's now my absolute favourite thing. It's astonishing. Bravo!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGt7...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGt7...
I can't fathom the complicated optics of bokeh*eclipse*iphone but anyone fancy working out how an image of the eclipse turned up in this? I promise I've not doctored it:
August 14, 2026 at 8:34 PM
I can't fathom the complicated optics of bokeh*eclipse*iphone but anyone fancy working out how an image of the eclipse turned up in this? I promise I've not doctored it:
This is a nice house but why is the kitchen telling me I've not read enough Salman Rushdie and am also generally disappointing?
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/8...
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/8...
August 5, 2026 at 11:10 PM
This is a nice house but why is the kitchen telling me I've not read enough Salman Rushdie and am also generally disappointing?
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/8...
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/8...
Reposted by Matthew O'Connor
Death Of Stalin stuff. It's the gravitas of the staging and the ludicrousness of the words
holy shit -- Schiff ties Trump's judicial nominees in knots by asking them who won the 2016 before *before* asking them who won in 2020, which results in them sounding like election deniers about Trump's victories!
August 5, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Death Of Stalin stuff. It's the gravitas of the staging and the ludicrousness of the words
Reposted by Matthew O'Connor
Reform repaid Tice loan on same day £1mn donated by mother of Farage aide Cottrell ft.trib.al/dlAq12b
Reform repaid Tice loan on same day £1mn donated by mother of Farage aide Cottrell
Transactions fuel criticism of the party’s lack of transparency over its financing
ft.trib.al
August 5, 2026 at 3:43 PM
Reform repaid Tice loan on same day £1mn donated by mother of Farage aide Cottrell ft.trib.al/dlAq12b
"Nige, some bent spiv wants to trouser some shares in your totally legit #ReformUK scam."
"I love bribes, me, but will I get away with it? What are the optics/"
"Let me have a play with the contrast, but I'm sure it'll be fine."
"I love bribes, me, but will I get away with it? What are the optics/"
"Let me have a play with the contrast, but I'm sure it'll be fine."
August 2, 2026 at 9:08 AM
"Nige, some bent spiv wants to trouser some shares in your totally legit #ReformUK scam."
"I love bribes, me, but will I get away with it? What are the optics/"
"Let me have a play with the contrast, but I'm sure it'll be fine."
"I love bribes, me, but will I get away with it? What are the optics/"
"Let me have a play with the contrast, but I'm sure it'll be fine."
The outpouring of grief and love for Glen Hansard will stay with me. His performance at Other Voices in Dingle was achingly beautiful: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMt3...
The Frames - Fitzcarraldo | Other Voices
YouTube video by OtherVoices
www.youtube.com
August 2, 2026 at 7:00 AM
The outpouring of grief and love for Glen Hansard will stay with me. His performance at Other Voices in Dingle was achingly beautiful: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMt3...
Reposted by Matthew O'Connor
“New accounts for the business of Farage’s partner, Laure Ferrari - who supposedly paid cash for the £885,000 home - show no signs of money-making” if Farage paid for any of it he would have been liable for extra rate stamp duty ~£44k
#FarageBung www.thenewworld.co.uk/rats-in-a-sa...
#FarageBung www.thenewworld.co.uk/rats-in-a-sa...
Mystery deepens over Farage's Clacton house
New accounts for the business of his partner, Laure Ferrari - who supposedly paid cash for the £885,000 home - show no signs of money-making
www.thenewworld.co.uk
July 31, 2026 at 10:54 AM
“New accounts for the business of Farage’s partner, Laure Ferrari - who supposedly paid cash for the £885,000 home - show no signs of money-making” if Farage paid for any of it he would have been liable for extra rate stamp duty ~£44k
#FarageBung www.thenewworld.co.uk/rats-in-a-sa...
#FarageBung www.thenewworld.co.uk/rats-in-a-sa...
It's very kind of Nadhim Zahawi to offer the incoming PM his advice on @bbclaurak.bsky.social this morning. I hope Andy Burnham's filing system already includes a category named 'Thieving, lying, bullying, arrogant bastards' so he has somewhere to put it.
July 12, 2026 at 8:43 AM
It's very kind of Nadhim Zahawi to offer the incoming PM his advice on @bbclaurak.bsky.social this morning. I hope Andy Burnham's filing system already includes a category named 'Thieving, lying, bullying, arrogant bastards' so he has somewhere to put it.
SHIT THE BED HAALAND OFF?!
July 11, 2026 at 11:28 PM
SHIT THE BED HAALAND OFF?!
🎶 "There's nothing I can say
They're showing old clips of Joe Hart."🎶
They're showing old clips of Joe Hart."🎶
July 11, 2026 at 9:15 PM
🎶 "There's nothing I can say
They're showing old clips of Joe Hart."🎶
They're showing old clips of Joe Hart."🎶
All you bronzed sunbathers swanning around London in skimpy outfits need to check your privilege. I once glanced at the sun and my head nearly fell off.
July 11, 2026 at 7:02 PM
All you bronzed sunbathers swanning around London in skimpy outfits need to check your privilege. I once glanced at the sun and my head nearly fell off.
Night foxes of NW5
July 11, 2026 at 12:57 AM
Night foxes of NW5
My wife has gone out. Hope she enjoys herself. Sure I'll be fine.
June 19, 2026 at 10:30 PM
My wife has gone out. Hope she enjoys herself. Sure I'll be fine.
Reposted by Matthew O'Connor
Not sure if I've told the story on here about how I was accidentally caught up in a head-shaving fetish scenario, when I was a poor student. Turns out it was quite easily done.
May 29, 2026 at 4:01 PM
Not sure if I've told the story on here about how I was accidentally caught up in a head-shaving fetish scenario, when I was a poor student. Turns out it was quite easily done.
Reposted by Matthew O'Connor
Exclusive: The UK Statistics Authority has rapped Kemi Badenoch over claims she made at PMQs last month about the number of people claiming Universal Credit.
Asked to comment, a spokesman for Badenoch replied with a “yawning” emoji.
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/exclus...
Asked to comment, a spokesman for Badenoch replied with a “yawning” emoji.
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/exclus...
Exclusive: Statistics Watchdog Raps Kemi Badenoch Over Universal Credit Claim
The Tory leader was accused of misrepresenting the size of the welfare bill.
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk
May 19, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Exclusive: The UK Statistics Authority has rapped Kemi Badenoch over claims she made at PMQs last month about the number of people claiming Universal Credit.
Asked to comment, a spokesman for Badenoch replied with a “yawning” emoji.
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/exclus...
Asked to comment, a spokesman for Badenoch replied with a “yawning” emoji.
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/exclus...
30 years ago, as a philosophy undergrad, a friend kindly offered to proofread my dissertation on the temporal metaphysics of GE McTaggart. I was subsequently called in to explain to my professor why I'd written an essay boasting my ability to move forwards and backwards in someone called Tim.
gonna be sporting and give tim a five minute head start
May 16, 2026 at 8:12 AM
30 years ago, as a philosophy undergrad, a friend kindly offered to proofread my dissertation on the temporal metaphysics of GE McTaggart. I was subsequently called in to explain to my professor why I'd written an essay boasting my ability to move forwards and backwards in someone called Tim.
On what would have been my glorious uncle Bartley's birthday this week, here's a short story about how one of my wife's uncles did the coolest, kindest thing for my side of the family just because he could. 1/
May 15, 2026 at 10:43 PM
On what would have been my glorious uncle Bartley's birthday this week, here's a short story about how one of my wife's uncles did the coolest, kindest thing for my side of the family just because he could. 1/
Reposted by Matthew O'Connor
Welfare spending (which includes pensions) was, in fact, higher than income tax receipts throughout the entirety of Kemi Badenoch's ministerial career.
The Conservatives’ Alternative King’s Speech claimed the welfare bill is higher than income tax receipts “for the first time ever”.
We’ve heard this a few times recently, but it’s not true. Welfare spending (including pensions) has been higher for years.
We’ve heard this a few times recently, but it’s not true. Welfare spending (including pensions) has been higher for years.
Welfare payments have not exceeded income tax ‘for the first time ever’ – Full Fact
Welfare spending, which includes state pensions, has been higher than income tax for at least 13 years, contrary to a claim in the Conservatives’ Alternative King’s Speech.
fullfact.org
May 14, 2026 at 7:17 PM
Welfare spending (which includes pensions) was, in fact, higher than income tax receipts throughout the entirety of Kemi Badenoch's ministerial career.
Laurie and I went to the West End tonight. At the tube, his Zip card didn't work so I let him use my card at the barriers, confident that I could use my phone. I had to shout at the useless barriers on my way in, way out, and both times on the way home. Here's a few pics I've just found on my phone.
May 2, 2026 at 10:45 PM
Laurie and I went to the West End tonight. At the tube, his Zip card didn't work so I let him use my card at the barriers, confident that I could use my phone. I had to shout at the useless barriers on my way in, way out, and both times on the way home. Here's a few pics I've just found on my phone.