British poet Attila the Stockbroker’s diary

This music video says about itself:

16 July 2014

ARGIES en Live à Vive Le Punk 2014 – Bacardi – Callac (22) – BZH – France.

Foster out, Argies in, long live punk

Saturday 30th July 2016

Attila the Stockbroker’s diary

Philip Green is the face of capitalism. He’s not the unacceptable or acceptable face — he’s just the face. That’s what capitalism does.

The banking collapse and this BHS fiasco are the high-profile tip of an everyday iceberg: an iceberg of profiteering, of sackings and zero-hours contracts, of the never-ending global search for cheaper labour, of an ideology which sees the relentless accumulation of wealth at any price as a human endeavour to be lauded and honoured, indeed one which is hard-wired into us.

I reject the libel perpetrated by the right that our species is fated by our biology to be comprised of heartless, selfish scumbags. Virtually none of the people I know are like that and I suspect that those reading this would agree that most of the people they know aren’t either.

The vast majority of people believe in community, in social justice, in “a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay” as my mum used to put it.

I totally accept that a few people are greedy, evil bastards. They shouldn’t get knighthoods. They should get jail sentences. And Green should be at the front of the queue for a very long one. Stick that in your manifesto, Jeremy. It’d be very popular.

And talking of Jeremy, Labour PLP “coup” organisers saying that the current 27 per cent poll rating is Corbyn’s fault is ludicrous. Bit like a bunch of drunks smashing up a peaceful gig and then blaming the promoter.

It’s absolutely right that Foster’s High Court challenge failed — the Labour Party shouldn’t be like a football club, where money buys control. With the huge membership comes a substantial income, so they don’t need money men anyway. Let’s get stuck in and get Jeremy re-elected!

This weekend I’m performing at Gail’s lovely Something Else A Bit North festival at Hales Bike & Board Park near Chester — I’m bringing my bike and helmet and I’m planning to cycle for miles round the trails, but I won’t be doing any tricks on the ramps, sorry.

I would look very silly, I would hurt myself and Robina would tell me off.

The ace poet Laura Taylor is compering the event — she is currently touring with her new collection Kaleidoscope, it’s brilliant, warm and real and she’s a great performer and an ideal addition to any poetry event. Read her work and contact her via www.writeoutloud.net/profiles/laurataylor.

Then next weekend it’s the punk highlight of the year — Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, when 5,000 punks will take over the Winter Gardens for a four-day celebration of our fantastic, diverse subculture.

For the more sensitive-eared among you it’s worth pointing out that punk’s not just three chords and shouting, folks — there’s an art exhibition, a literary stage and acoustic and spoken word performances — I’m in there, obviously.

Among the hosts of treats on offer I am really looking forward to Jilted John’s first performance in decades — he’s not just about “Gordon is a Moron,” his album True Love Stories is an absolute classic.

And, before that, next Wednesday sees an absolute storming gig at my local, the Duke of Wellington in Shoreham, featuring The Argies from Buenos Aires — the Argentinian Clash — brilliant Latin political punk and a Latin acoustic set to warm things up.

I’ve invited them to play on their way to Rebellion — and on their way back to the ferry and the continuation of their massive tour of mainland Europe. They’re at the Lighthouse in Deal on Sunday August 7. Catch them if you can, folks.

Currently planning more gigs in support of Jeremy’s re-election campaign — and I’m on my way to the Edinburgh Festival soon for the first time in 20 years, talking about my autobiography Arguments Yard at the Book Festival and doing six shows as part of PBH’s Free Fringe. More details in my next column.