Jeremy Hardy disarms his critics by admitting his shows are an overlong Left-wing rant, but this didn’t matter in Brighton where he was preaching to the converted at a sold-out Corn Exchange.

His material is more cerebral and radical than that of the general horde of Left-leaning London comics, but he nevertheless resembles them with his recourse to bodily functions and F-words for guaranteed laughs.

However, he was far more original and thoughtful in his musings about religion and history, and on the lapses of memory and increased girth of middle age.

Hardy has been on the road since the last miners’ strike and referenced the bad old days of Thatcher, unknown to young people who see Anne Widdicombe and Edwina Currie merely as game and harmless “characters” on Strictly Come Dancing.

There was much wry observation of Liam Fox, class warfare, gym culture, the Big Society, “we're all in this together”, and - beyond satire - Tony Blair as a peace envoy in the Middle East.

A self-confessed Londonphile, Hardy declared Brighton to be too alternative and “community care” for him, but his audience of similarly aged political comrades were forgiving and enjoyed this boost to socialist morale in trying times.