Born in working-class Liverpool in 1952 to devoted members of the British Communist Party, Alexei Sayle has spent a lifetime walking down the middle of the street shouting.

This is his memoir of life on the left, covering seven decades of social history told through marches and rallies. From the demonstrations against the Vietnam War in 1968 and the first miners’ strike in 1974, to the demonstration against the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the recent marches in support of Gaza, Sayle traces the enduring struggle for a better, fairer world. He explores left-wing ideas, why they matter and why it’s still worth taking them seriously.

Along the way, his trademark wit is never far behind. We encounter the Other Alexei (a bitter, retired media studies lecturer from Clitheroe Polytechnic), his imaginary daughter Tanita, and learn how a spontaneous rendition of the national anthem prevented a group of anti-nuclear protesters from being beaten up by the police.

Eye-wateringly funny, unexpectedly moving and unashamedly polemical, this is a one-of-a-kind chronicle of defiance and belief.