Richard McNeil-Willson
Lecturer in Global Muslim Studies, University of Edinburgh. Formerly Leiden, Cambridge and European University Institute. Scottish Greens member. Tha mi ag ionnsachadh Gàidhlig.
e: richard@mcneilwillson.eu
- Reposted by Richard McNeil-WillsonNEW: The Israeli military today accepted the Gaza Health Ministry's estimate of 70,000+ killed. But in 2024, 62 Dems joined 207 Republicans to ban the State Dept. from citing the Ministry's stats. Now, even Israel accepts them — perhaps because they realize what is feared: the toll is even higher.
- Had a conversation with a former colleague of Matthew Goodwin a while ago, out on the academic circuit. When I asked about why Matt had flipped from writing books that were critical of populism, to producing right-wing anti-immigration videos, their response was: 'He's making a bid for politics'.
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- The Left have consistently pointed out that the US represents a threat to us all since at least the 1960s. In response, liberals derided the Left as loonies, communists, and as 'unserious'. Congrats to liberals everywhere on finally figuring this out - now that the US threatens White people too.
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- Suffragettes held hunger strikes for basic rights Irish held hunger strikes for basic rights Palestinian activists on hunger strikes for basic rights A century, the same British violence. www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/1/8/palestine-action-hunger-strikers-near-death-intent-on-continuing-protests
- It’s absolutely deranged that the BBC - an organisation Trump is currently suing for billions of UK taxpayer pounds - seems to be holding a brainstorming session for how the US Government can invade Greenland. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
- This UK Government is so spineless. Won’t condemn genocide. Won’t condemn US abduction of Venezuelan president. Supports pirate raids off the coast of Scotland. Starmer - the human rights lawyer - shows zero regard for human rights and international law. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
- I don’t have a hot take on US imperial aggression in Venezuela because it’s not new - it’s standard US behaviour. The US has toppled regimes in South America for decades and decimated Iraq on made-up charges for access to oil. None of this is new or novel; it’s well-practiced US imperialism.
- Just as Denmark seizes the jewellery of asylum seekers, so the UK now seizes their phones. The most vulnerable, far from home, will lose the lifeline to their families and their means for managing in a new place. UK Government cruelty to woo far-right voters. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
- Our First Footing. Bliadhna Mhath Ùr!
- Reposted by Richard McNeil-WillsonNo idea who Laurent Brindeau is, but isn’t this caricature of @zackpolanski.bsky.social in today’s @dailymailpolitics.bsky.social ragingly antisemitic?
- The case of Alaa abd el-Fattah shows the pernicious racism at the heart of the British state. UK politicians lining up to strip dual citizens of their passports, saying that being tortured in Egyptian prisons is okay actually if you’re not the right sort of immigrant. www.bbc.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Richard McNeil-Willson"AI is the asbestos in the walls of our technological society, stuffed there with wild abandon by a finance sector and tech monopolists run amok. We will be excavating it for a generation or more." This piece on AI by Cory Doctorow is spectactular. pluralistic.net/2025/12/05/p...
- Denmark’s approach to migration has been beholden to far-right parties for decades. This is the country that confiscated Syrian refugees’ jewellery when they arrived in Denmark - just as they did to Jews fleeing Nazi Germany. This is the model wanted by the UK Labour Party.
- Denmark’s approach to migration is almost entirely beholden to far-right parties, so it makes sense that UK Labour have decided to copy them. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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- Reposted by Richard McNeil-WillsonThis weekend is the LAST WEEKEND for #BISA2026 conference submissions! 🚨 Is International Studies ready for what comes next? New thinking, new directions 🎉 Make sure to submit your papers now 👉 conference.bisa.ac.uk/call-papers-0 VisitBrighton Simon Rushton @julietdryden.bsky.social
- Reposted by Richard McNeil-WillsonWe’ve met with Greta Thunberg and others in the flotilla. They describe hours-long scenes of torture and sexual harassment in Israeli captivity. Experts conclude that they have been subjected to serious crimes – Sweden’s foreign minister believes they have themselves to blame. tinyurl.se/crR
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- We will never surrender our flag, says Tommy Robinson. Oh, I mean Sir Keir Starmer. www.bbc.com/news/article...
- Police saved the UK from 890 retired and disabled terrorists and a mannequin this weekend. www.councilestatemedia.uk/p/police-sav...
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- Absolutely jaw-dropping figures of UK Terrorism-related arrests. Scholars have been warning for years that counterterrorism law is dangerous, racist, poorly conceived, largely unnecessary, and ripe for abuse. Here is the result - its systematic use against protestors campaigning against genocide.
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- Reposted by Richard McNeil-WillsonNew article out! @luke-shuttleworth.bsky.social, @k8ebrown.bsky.social & I teamed up to explore whether the concept of 'cordon sanitaire' remains useful in the current stage of mainstreaming of far right politics Read the full article, open access, here 1/ www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
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- Whilst proscription of Palestine Action is a mess caused by this Govt, years of legislation led us here. "A person commits an offence if he wears clothing to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation." (2019 Counterterror & Border Security Act/s.13)
- Reposted by Richard McNeil-WillsonPerhaps, one day, schoolkids will study this squalid little chapter in British terror-panic history. When they do, I hope these two headlines from today are printed side by side, with clear annotation of which individual faced more outrage and condemnation.
- Keir Starmer threatening a prominent Irish author with counterterror legislation is grim and is a threat to UK-Irish relations. It is a keen reminder that UK counterterrorism was born from generations of bloody acts of British colonialism in Ireland, and seeks the repression of liberation politics.
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- The prison system is collapsing from overcrowding and Keir Starmer has young people and grannies locked up for supporting Palestine Action - in this case, for over a year, in a high security prison, without a trial. observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
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- Keir Starmer's Government plans on arresting so many more grannies holding placards as "terrorists", it has to make space in the already overcrowded prisons. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
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- Some thoughts from me in today’s @scotnational.bsky.social on the ludicrous and cynical attempt by peers to challenge recognition of Palestine and a Palestinian state. On the bizarre use of the 1933 Montevideo Convention, alongside @patrickharvie.bsky.social. www.thenational.scot/news/2535700...
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- Recognition of Palestine worthless without action. There is no moral drive by the Starmer govt. It is having to be dragged into recognising a Palestinian state, which will mean nothing without concrete steps alongside. I spoke with @scotnational.bsky.social www.thenational.scot/news/2535059...
- I'm genuinely thrilled 'Tell Mama' is no longer receiving government money due to its close relationship with Tory govts, its use of money and its data collection. I discourage anyone from engaging with or citing it, and hope it goes the way of Quilliam. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
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- Reposted by Richard McNeil-WillsonThe people of Gaza face starvation under the joint U.S.-Israeli food distribution system run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
- As expected, the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation has led to crackdowns on other pro-Palestine groups. Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine and Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign have had their finances frozen by banks. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
- God grant me half the confidence of the mediocre white men telling the first black woman elected to parliament she doesn’t understand racism in Britain.
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- If 70 protestors can be arrested for holding pieces of cardboard on "terror charges" carrying 14 years in prison - then it should be clear as day that the UK Govt has declared war on protest and UK counterterror law critically undermines civil rights. #palestineaction news.sky.com/story/more-t...
- New 'Yvette Cooper' protest group springs up amid Palestine Action ban The 'Yvette Cooper' group - named after the minister who spearheaded the proscription of Palestine Action - have emerged as an 'anti-genocide' protest movement. www-newarab-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.newa...
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- Thanks @scotnational.bsky.social for publishing this piece I penned on the dangers of UK Govt ban of Palestine Action. It is an assault on freedoms, showing the anti-Palestinian nature of counterterrorism. Its implications, suffocating for Palestinian activism. www.thenational.scot/politics/252...
- A noticeable hardening in the war talk from the UK Government this morning, reminiscent of the illegal invasion of Iraq. We’re seeing in real time the manufacturing of consent for Israeli and US aggression, by a supine Starmer Government.
- Absolutely chilling, deeply dangerous decision by the UK Government to move to class Palestinian activist group 'Palestine Action' as a terrorist organisation. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
- As someone currently learning Gàidhlig, this decision by @parliament.scot - is math sin/smashing news! Great to see the move to establish Gaelic and Scots as official languages in Scotland, and to create areas of linguistic significance to grow the languages. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
- The history of the idea of 'grooming gangs' is also to remember, as it is a recent alarmist discourse. Reported by Andrew Norfolk of The Times, his reporting has been challenged as ‘unfounded’, containing ‘serious inaccuracies’, breaching ‘standards of conduct and ethics’ and lacking impartiality.
- England. It's England.
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- The entire discussion around 'grooming gangs' is nothing but a far-right dog whistle for implementing fascist policies.
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- No concern though for the thousands upon thousands of civilians murdered by Israel in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran.
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- A reminder there's no clear or demonstrable category as 'grooming gangs', that white men are far more likely statistically to engage in child abuse and grooming, and that the discussion on grooming gangs is based on debunked research and racist misinformation. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
