THERE is something totally surreal about doing a column about a life as a travelling performance poet and musician when the country is going through its biggest constitutional upheaval since the civil war.

Especially so writing this on the day following Johnson’s prorogation of Parliament, approved by the Queen.

Such an order, enacted by a constitutional figurehead on behalf of a prime minister with no popular mandate, has no more historical legitimacy than it did in 1642.

Parliament should ignore the Queen’s instructions, as it did those of Charles I, and continue to sit throughout September at this moment of crisis. Labour MP Clive Lewis has already said the police will have to remove him from the chamber and I hope many more follow his example.

With that, I return to chronicling my life in this chronic period. Had a great time performing at Edinburgh as part of the PBH Free Fringe, whose pioneering, anti-corporate and inclusive modus operandi I praised in my last column.

I was especially pleased with the response to my very first Early Music Show in the wonderful surroundings of St Cecilia’s Hall and thank the lovely, friendly curators for allowing this old punk rocker to fulfil a lifelong ambition.

There’s a great film of the show online at https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.robinson.92372/videos/10158177222440021/UzpfSTIwNTUwNjAyNDE2OjEwMTU3NTg2NjM1NjEyNDE3/?pnref=lhc for anyone who wants to see it.

On Saturday I’m part of Unity Fest at the Roadmender Centre in Northampton, an all-day celebration of our culture in the face of increasing racist incidents and hate crimes.

Also appearing are punk legends Vice Squad, local ska/grime crossover merchants Karl Phillips and the Rejects and a host of other bands, solo performers and political speakers.

A great event, sponsored by Unite the Union – come if you’re nearby, more details at https://www.theroadmender.com/event/unity-fest-2019/

On Sunday I’ve organised a benefit for my local East Worthing and Shoreham CLP’s general election fund at our lovely local Duke of Wellington pub in Shoreham.

Having gone from 0 council seats to 10 in Worthing in two years and reduced the sitting Tory’s majority by 11,000 at the last election we are now a marginal seat and we need all the funds we can raise.

Local legends The Piranhas are headlining, plus brilliant political songwriter Robb Johnson, a special guest or two and a few poems from yours truly. 7pm start, details at https://www.facebook.com/events/690867204722214/

And next week I hit the north-west, starting at the Kitchen Garden Cafe in Birmingham next Thursday, Blackpool’s Imbibe Tap Room on Friday and, on Saturday, a return to Wigan Diggers’ Festival.
I am so looking forward to this. Last year I brought my band, singing songs of the English Revolution, of Gerrard Winstanley, Abiezer Coppe and Thomas Rainsborough, played on early music instruments. This year I’m doing my poetry, hopefully just as relevant in a different kind of way.

It’s a wonderful initiative and hats off to all those who have organised it for the last nine years and a huge well done for booking this year’s headliners The Men They Couldn’t Hang, one of my favourite bands of all time.

On Sunday September 8 I’m at the New Continental in Preston. Before the gig I had been intending to go to the match between Bolton and Bury to show solidarity with two clubs ravaged by scumbag owners.

But then came the news that Bury had been expelled from the Football League, for a debt equal to a few weeks’ wages for a Premier League player. Football as a microcosm of society. An absolute tragedy and proof that the football authorities are not fit for purpose.

For those who say “it’s only football” — it’s not. Bury is a hard-hit town which has lost so much as our manufacturing base has been destroyed, losing one of the remaining essential bits of social fabric which holds it together, encapsulates its history and makes its name ring round the world when the results are read out on a Saturday afternoon. We should all care about that.

Bury fans, my heart goes out to you.