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Joining the resistance in Clacton

The bard plays Clacton Arts Centre, a miraculous venue that cannot be closed because it is an idea built on hope

CLACTON ART GALLERY [Pic: John Baine]

DID my second anti-Farage gig in the Dishonourable Absentee MP’s constituency last Friday. Oh, Clacton! Where to start? I came with a feeling of sadness and left with a mixture of anger, amusement, hope — and, above all, admiration. 

Anger at the neglect that has left so many people struggling, and the way poverty caused by successive governments’ refusal to tax the rich and confront the problem has allowed a billionaire’s toady like Farage to exploit it with a mixture of ghastly bile and promises of support and regeneration that a hard-line Thatcherite ex-City trader has no intention of keeping. 

Amusement at the brilliant huge anti-Farage poster in the centre, defying attempts at desecration. At the random car — not a taxi, just an ordinary car — emblazoned with two signs saying “PLEASE PAY BY CASH” parked on the seafront, with a metal detectorist scanning the beach a few feel away. Unconnected, I’m sure, but with my surreal sense of humour, absolutely beautiful. At the missing ‘S’ on the gents toilet which gave me a momentary vision of a beautiful Belgian city on the urban Essex coastline. 

Hope on the multicultural beach, in the faces of those who came to my gig and above all in the sterling efforts of Clacton Arts Centre who put it on. Clacton Arts Centre is an arts centre unlike any other, because it doesn’t exist in material form. It’s just a sign. Any venue which hosts any kind of countercultural event in Clacton in which its creators are involved (mainly the inspirational and indefatigable Ian) BECOMES Clacton Arts Centre. Last time I played it was a cafe, this time Ketchup Clothes, an old tyre shop transformed into a recycled clothing emporium by a force of nature called Karen, with a DJ booth and DIY open-air venue at the back. 

My booming voice spilled out across the streets in the still, heavy air. Unlike sometimes at such events in the ’80s there was no opposition in evidence. The assembled throng appeared to enjoy themselves very much and, as Karen said as I left: “Maybe some people heard you, and you changed a few minds!” Clacton needs support, regeneration, understanding, hope. It won’t get it from the likes of Farage, but it does from the people I met yesterday. Above all Karen and Ian. Love and respect.

And I want to salute a fantastic result in our local Buckingham (Shoreham) by-election last week. Sadly, we’ve seem Reform making huge gains in local elections around the country, but here in West Sussex we’ve held them off with ease: congratulations to the winning candidate Kate Davis, and well done to everyone in our brilliant community who campaigned so hard. The turnout was 46 per cent, very high for a by-election, and both that and the result — a 300-vote majority — are testimony to the difference between us and the old Labour fiefdoms where Reform are making inroads.

We built this ourselves in Adur and Worthing, starting with the swathes of us who joined Labour after Jeremy’s election, continuing with Beccy Cooper’s historic result in 2017 as the first Labour councillor in Worthing for 70 years, and continuing with (among many many others) Robina’s historic win in Southwick Green in 2021 as we went on to make history and take both our councils and both parliamentary seats for Labour for the first time ever. 

Like the council wins, this is OUR victory — despite the nauseating, divisive lies of Reform, and despite Starmerite policies which alienate so many (including myself) at national level.

There was a limited Reform surge and the shameful statements of the likes of Reeves certainly had some effect, but loads of people turned out to show support for our brand new community council (first council house for decades opening soon) and to voice their disgust at Reform and even more at Britain First, who got — wait for it — 22 votes.

Well done Shoreham, well done everyone. I know some will still sneer, but this victory is OURS, and shows the power of community politics, which is what we are about. We can’t change the world, but we can change ours a little bit, stand up for what is right in a world going wrong — and give people hope. 

And at the moment we’re dealing with the coastal climate change threat here, with our home village of Southwick slated to be half under water by 2050 without proper coastal defence protection. My poor councillor wife is having to deal with all kinds of rumours spread by the likes of Reform — just pure lies. “I wish people wouldn’t believe everything they read on social media,” she says, exhaustedly.

Oh, how I agree. Except when I write it, of course!

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