Attila the Stockbroker Diary: November 6, 2026

The bard serenades the glens and surveys the state o’ the fitba’

Books / 6 November 2026 Caroline Aherne: the working-class woman’s comedian 6 November 2026 BRENT CUTLER relishes a life that arose from Manchester’s underground scene to the highest peaks of TV fame

SUE TURNER surveys detailed and often gossipy biography of the notorious New York lawyer, who built a career by persecuting communists

ALISTAIR FINDLAY points out that this is more than a simple anthology: it demonstrates the strength of left movement poetry and its difference from the mainstream

MARIA DUARTE recommends a darkly funny and bitter bromance between the drug-fuelled assassins of the CIA

Greetings from Gatehouse of Fleet. I never thought I’d type that, and until a few months ago I’d never even heard of it, but at the time of writing myself and support/accompanist Calum Baird are there for a gig, the second of my first-ever proper tour of Scotland.

Today we’re in Stirling, and this afternoon I’ll be watching Greenock Morton v Stenhousemuir at Cappielow Park. It’s my third visit to the town which gave me my surname Baine via paternal ancestors who left 200 years ago.

Morton aren’t very good, but they have somehow managed to win their last three league games, which is incredible. The only other time I saw them featured a 0-0 draw with Hibs which was so dire I was moved to musical parody to the tune of “Itchycoo Park”:

Under Greenock skiesThe very worst game I’ve ever seen And I’m not telling lies To Cappielow Park, that’s where I’ve been (What did you do there?) I got bo-ored (Why did you do that?) No-one sco-ored The Cowshed’s pleadings Were igno-ored…It’s ridiculous that it’s taken me 46 years as a performer to finally tour Scotland, and I’m loving it. Calum is a fantastic songwriter, and as well as our solo sets we’re playing excerpts from my Early Music Show about the Levellers. Diggers and Ranters together. We’re heading all over Scotland next week and it would be lovely to see some of our Caledonian readers there.

Finally, a comment on the encouraging events over the pond. One huge fact leaps out at me from the US midterm results. The Republicans weren’t trounced because of the offensive and deranged garbage constantly spewing from Trump’s mouth — it was the economic disasters and the personal self-enrichment which did for them. His ridiculous claim to represent “the average American” against “the Establishment” — the same rubbish Farage comes out with — was shown to be the nonsense it is.

To win round angry, impoverished people targeted by the far right, we in Britain need to put economic inequality — vgrinding poverty, lack of opportunity, stunting of potential, the grotesque gap between the super-rich and the rest — front and centre of everything we do. Proof we care about that, above everything else, will win over huge swathes of Reform/Restore voters.

For further info please visit facebook and/or bandcamp 

Attila the Stockbroker Diary / 11 September 2026 Attila the Stockbroker Diary: September 11, 2026 11 September 2026 The bard serenades the Diggers of Wigan and their festive followers

The Bard hands out medals for his Edinburgh campaign and urges us to support The Men They Couldn’t Hang

Attila the Stockbroker Diary / 14 August 2026 Attila the Stockbroker Diary: August 14, 2026 14 August 2026 The bard confirms that the right has a humour bypass, and replays the English Revolution on period instruments

Clacton / 17 July 2026 Attila the Stockbroker Diary, July 17 2026 17 July 2026 The bard invites readers to a gig, raps for Clacton, and lays out the Burnham-Hurzeler conundrum