OUR values, our structures, our ideas are under attack in so many ways.

There are the obvious ones: the constant rubbishing of progressive culture in newspapers not worthy of the name, the endless vapid, lobotomised “celebrity” garbage spewed out by television stations many of which are owned by the same billionaires as the newspapers, the fact that left-wing voices are mostly ignored in such media outlets or when, as in Jeremy Corbyn’s case, they can’t be ignored they are sneered or laughed at as “extremist.”

People old enough to remember the Thatcher years will know that right-wing Tories are never “extremist” — they are “dry” as opposed to “wet.”

But there are ways to combat that, as we all know. Social media, underground networking, community action, alternative strategies in politics, words and music and I know this from personal experience.

I have earned my living as a radical poet and musician for 35 years with very little mainstream media coverage, thanks to the sterling efforts of countless people who have organised, promoted and otherwise spread the word for me. I am constantly meeting new, inspirational activists who take our movement forward.

But so much of this depends on the physical structures which we use and in recent times more and more of these alternative spaces have come under threat. Mainly from the Tories’ best friends — property speculators or “developers” as they like to call themselves.

Just this week I read a heartfelt appeal for support from the organisers of the Owl Sanctuary, a brilliant punk venue in Norwich which has just been bought from under them by a developer whose intention is to raze it to the ground and replace it with luxury flats.

The same thing happened to The Grosvenor in Stockwell, a beautiful old pub at the beating heart of the south London alternative scene where I have done loads of great gigs in the past. And these are just two of many.

Spurious noise complaints, often made by stooges paid by greedy speculators to move next door to long established pub music venues and try to destroy them, threaten many more.

Of course, we should expect nothing else from scum whose only creed is personal gain. But surely we can hope for better from a housing association and a Labour council? Let’s hope so.

New Year’s Eve saw the closure for redevelopment of The Square, the wonderful Harlow venue which for the last 35 years has provided quite literally the only creative space and refuge for alternative culture in an Essex new town devastated by Tory cuts.

I have a personal interest here — I did my second-ever gig at the Square in 1980 and learned my craft as a performance poet there.

Both Circle Housing, who own the building, and Harlow Council say they know how vital the facility is for local people but the brave bunch of volunteers who took it over after county council funding was withdrawn have had to see it close with the future very uncertain.

A big campaign is currently underway to ensure that the council do the right thing and save The Square.

If you have any connection to Harlow whatsoever, please sign the petition here. And you can support the Owl Sanctuary crew here.

Autobiography tour starts again in two weeks in Belfast. All details on Facebook.