That was how I became politicised, and making an argument for an inclusive sense of English identity, to me, is just a continuation of that same argument”. I came into this whole business by going to see Rock Against Racism gigs with the Clash.

“It's not a very popular subject amongst my audience, who are by nature more internationalist, but I don't choose what to write about, I don't choose my subjects, they kind of choose me. It's a theme that he's passionate about, though it may not be to all his audience's taste. On his last album, proper, England Half English, discounting last year's retrospective compilation Must I paint you a picture, he provided exactly that: a musical and lyrical engagement with the notion of Englishness. You've got to walk it like you talk it, or else you're just exploiting it, don't you think? It's hard to find a way to do that”. “You can't expect to inspire your audience,” he continues, “ just by singing about it. He can be accused of many things as an artist or activist, but lack of enthusiasm or engagement with the task in hand is not one of them. Engaged is a good word to use when talking about Billy Bragg, and indeed it's one that he uses several times during the interview. “You've got to be engaged, haven't you?”, says Billy Bragg, responding to questions about his extra-music political activities, activities that have ranged from writing opinion pieces on Englishness for major newspapers, like The Independent, to making serious proposals for the reform of the house of Lords.

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