MARK THOMAS, the man once dubbed a domestic extremist and alleged comedian by the Met Police, is 50. However, age has not diminished his ability or inclination to rant against the injustices of the world.

As fired up as he ever has been, Thomas paced the stage at the Arc, in Stockton, practically frothing at the mouth as he delivered an energetic update on his quest to commit 100 acts of minor dissent in a year. In a bid to prove that dissent still matters, Thomas set out to ruffle as many feathers as he could with a mixture of mischief, mayhem and sneaky subversion.

Since his quest began in May last year, Thomas has notched up 58 acts, from attempts to sneak Signed by the Author stickers on Bibles in bookshops to forming an impromptu kazoo orchestra to follow officers enforcing crackdowns on buskers in London.

He has also persuaded Curzon Cinemas to recognise unions and is posting bits of soil from all over the UK to Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who recently demanded his country back. If he fails in his efforts, he has pledged to donate £1,000 to Ukip – a thought that keeps him well motivated.

During the interval, one audience member remarked that Thomas was no more than a leftist caricature, a stereotypical activist who will have a pop at anything.

He may well stand as a personification of 1980s dissenting counter-culture, preaching to the converted, but his brand of mischievous, comedic activism still delivers results. He is arguably more relevant than ever in a time of austerity, cuts and social discontent.