‘People who say acts of dissent are pointless and achieve nothing are nothing more than lazy *********.’

A QUOTE from Mark Thomas demonstrating that he’s lost none of the edge or urgency that propelled him to fame in the 1990s as one of the nation’s favourite political comedians.

The stand-up, who visits Stockton tonight, is still boiling over with a determination to make the world a better place, and hold the bad guys to account in the process. Thomas remains a force to be reckoned with – as his latest show, 100 Acts of Minor Dissent, is keen to demonstrate.

Over the decades, he has worked tirelessly as an activist, journalist and comedian, battling his way through red tape, angry MPs and international boundaries to cause the collapse of arms deals, the resignation of a politician and the reformation of inheritance law – along with a great deal of mischief.

His latest show finds him part-way through an effort to commit 100 acts of minor dissent in the space of a year.

It’s a subject he is, predictably, passionate about: “Dissent is always important and at the moment, we have a lot to do. It takes many different forms and it’s about finding creative and interesting ways to express it.

“The one thing that got past the Communists in Transylvania was folk music, because they said it comes from the people. At one folk concert, the band started singing about an uninvited guest at a wedding, breaking plates and upsetting people.

“Suddenly it became about Russia and it was an example of a simple thing becoming very significant politically and that kind of thing happens day in, day out. It’s about finding little ways of showing that you do not acquiesce and you do not agree with the way things are run – little moments of rebellion and dissent are really important.

“Change always starts with very small things, one of the most significant moments in American history is a woman sitting on the wrong seat on a bus.”

Thomas feels that if we look at the history of things, it’s always been about people taking things into their own hands and making a difference.

“The reason people in this country can read and write and join trade unions is because people fought for it and they went to jail for it.

People make a difference all the time.

People see big things happen and think, I can’t do that and not everybody can on that scale but everyone can do something,” he says.

Hitting out at apathy, Thomas adds: “The people who say these acts of dissent are pointless and achieve nothing are just lazy ********* who need to grow up, get a grip and get involved.

By doing nothing, you become part of the problem.”

Thomas is not the only comedian to have spoken out on political issues recently, with Russell Brand having caused a stir last year by calling on people not to vote, saying the vote no longer represents power or change.

It’s a stance Thomas is keen to oppose. “He is promoting the idea that voting doesn’t change anything, but voting is the smallest act of change you can commit to doing so you might as well do it – it’s about becoming involved in the process.

“To say voting doesn’t change anything is ridiculous – for example, things like the Freedom of Information Act and minimum wage came through because of voting. Things do change and political parties are really just the last part of the chain,” he says.

Thomas votes Green, believing this party represents the only radical voice in Parliament and is the only real alternative to parties he deems to have little merit.

“It’s incredible the way Labour has acquiesced to becoming Tory-lite and the Tories have done a brilliant job demonising those at the bottom of the pile and creating the deserving and the non-deserving poor,” he says.

His 100 Acts of Dissent has attracted good reviews after its initial run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year, being described as consistently funny, absurd and heroic.

  • The show comes to at The ARC in Stockton tonight. Tickets are £15 or £10 for concessions and can be booked by visiting arconline.co.uk.