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The singer/song writer/political activist (who for a period in the late 1970s lived in Oundle in northeast Northamptonshire) has written a book called Progressive Patriot. In it he outlines his feelings about a modern English identity and his belief that Britain needs a 'Declaration of Rights' authored by all the ordinary citizens of the UK.

"A bill of rights is too important to leave to the politicians," he told a capacity audience at St. Peter's Church in Oundle at a recent Oundle Festival of Literature event. "A bill of rights should come from the people. It would give us a framework to debate a way to live."

Defeating political extremism

Bragg also believes that a bill of rights would help defeat political extremism by including some of the groups and individuals who presently feel left out.

"It would help us to marginalise the extremists - the racist bigots on the one hand and the jihadi suicide bombers on the other," he explained. "Fairness and tolerance is at the root of our rights based on the European Convention of Human Rights."

Billy Bragg's book

Bragg was moved to write this book after the election of 12 BNP councillors in Barking and Dagenham where he was born and grew up.

"Between 1991-2001 Barking and Dagenham had the largest influx of immigrants of any area in the UK. In part they were attracted by the fact that the cheapest housing in greater London is in Barking and Dagenham, and the result is that there are too many people chasing too few resources there.

"The BNP have been able to take advantage of this. Then in the middle of writing the book, the 7/7 attacks occurred in London. And that day those evil men did more to damage multiculturalism in this country than the BNP has done in 40 years."

For Bragg, Britain's modern sense of identity should be based not on where people come from, but on a stronger sense of where they belong.

"All I really care about is how your children are going to get along with my children," he commented.

Like many others he is worried about the impact that increased anxiety about security and the threat of terrorism is having on civil rights.

"Habeas corpus, trial by jury are under threat as a result of 9/11. Now the government says we need an ID card. Well, I'll agree to have an ID card if we have a Bill of Rights written on the back of it."

Billy Bragg is nothing if not an optimist. This year he's travelled the country promoting his book and explaining his campaign for a declaration of rights; he thinks that politicians and government are ready to listen, as Gordon Brown unveils new constitutional plans.

The new Prime Minister also says he wants to see the Union Jack flying more frequently on government buildings. Bragg is happy to see the flag become a popular expression of patriotism once again and 'retrieved from the far right'.

"In Britain, whatever our origins, we are a mixture - Jutes, Angles and Saxons - what's more multicultural than the Union Jack?"

The Progressive Patriot (A Search for Belonging) is published by TransWorld.