Billy Bragg, a political songwriter and activist, is accustomed to protests.
During the 1980s, he performed benefit concerts for striking miners and was a vocal opponent of Margaret Thatcher. More recently, he has opposed bankers’ bonuses by opting not to pay taxes.
It was revealed yesterday that he has become the target of a campaign, as his neighbors received correspondence urging them to expel him from the $2.5 million home he resides in, overlooking the sea.
The anonymous letters label him a hypocrite for leading a celebrity lifestyle contrary to his socialist beliefs.
Additionally, they unjustly accuse him of being anti-British and pro-immigration, belittle his musical talent, and refer to him as the ‘village idiot.’
Mr. Bragg, 53, characterized the letters as the work of a disgruntled member of the British National Party and encouraged recipients to discard them.
Known as the ‘Bard of Barking’ due to his Essex origins, the singer campaigned vigorously against the BNP during the last election in Barking and Dagenham, where the extreme right-wing party’s leader, Nick Griffin, unsuccessfully ran for a parliamentary seat.
The BNP also lost all council seats they had in that area, where they were previously the second-largest group.
Among the individuals who received one of the typed letters, which were each addressed to the owner/occupier and affixed with a second-class stamp from Southampton, was the village postmaster, Simon Holdcroft.
He remarked, ‘It was quite bizarre and was a racist rant directed at Billy Bragg.
‘Initially, we believed we were the only ones to receive it, but over the course of a few days, it became evident that around 20 or 30 others received the same letter.
‘Many people were quite appalled by it. It wasn’t excessively aggressive or contained any death threats, but it wasn’t pleasant.’
Another recipient, Karen Broad, commented, ‘It was extremely vindictive and cowardly. Mr. Bragg has contributed significantly to the village.’
In 2001, Mr. Bragg established a website aimed at promoting tactical voting to remove Conservative MPs in South and West Dorset, which ultimately led him to support the Liberal Democrats in 2010 due to their ‘best manifesto.’
He is also a regular attendee at the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival, an annual event honoring those who were transported to Australia for founding a union in the 1830s.
Yesterday, Mr. Bragg, known for hits like A New England, stated: ‘It is evident from the content that this anonymous letter originates from a disgruntled British National Party supporter.
‘This letter represents nothing more than the impotent outbursts of a resentful individual who is upset that, even in a quaint village like ours, people reject the ideologies of racism.’
Recognized as one of the most prominent protest singers of the 1980s, Mr. Bragg has always worn his working-class roots proudly.
Some critics argue that he forfeited his right to represent the underprivileged the moment he left London, but he countered last year, saying, ‘It’s not as if I sold my principles by moving to Dorset. I merely sold my house in London.’
Peter Dutton, a 66-year-old villager, noted, ‘Billy Bragg has long been associated with leftist views, and Burton Bradstock is predominantly a right-wing village where many residents are retired and vote Conservative.
‘His perspectives aren’t widely accepted, but on the flip side, he is highly respected in the village and has accomplished much good. The majority find the letters utterly absurd.’
by Wallace McTavish
