Alison Chabloz

As predicted, April 14th 2022, the day of my sentencing for again causing gross offence with a satirical song, I was handed almost the maximum term: 22 weeks, eleven of which to be served at HMP Bronzefield near Heathrow, west London, and the rest ‘on Licence’.

Exactly the same as last year: sent to jail on Maundy Thursday, meaning that my first week was spent without access to my own money, without canteen supplies and, worst of all, without access to a telephone.

I repeat: exactly the same scenario as last year. I was unable to reach my family for almost an entire week and only found out after Easter that my mother had been rushed into hospital – as had happened also last year.

My plea for bail, pending Appeal — — including two official complaints to the Lord Chief Justice — took an extraordinary six weeks to be heard, and was rejected on grounds that I would be eligible for early release ‘on tag’.

Again: exactly the same as last year, no tag was granted and I was kept behind bars until the end of June. Following this latest unsuccessful bail hearing, my Appeal against both conviction and sentencing was listed to be heard at Southwark Crown Court, the day following my release, June 30th.

It quickly became apparent during my stay that efforts were afoot to bait me into committing some further offence, for some form of ‘racism’, whilst inside. Mindful of events that affected author, Hervé Ryssen, during his spell in prison in France, I stood my ground, clarified in writing my position and made sure to keep a record of events.

My final ten days were spent in isolation owing to an outbreak of the flu’ (now rebranded as Covid19.) On day five, mass testing on my wing returned a positive Lateral Flow test.

The day of my release, after being forced under duress to sign five pages’ worth of ultra-strict Licence terms basically insinuating that I would be a terrorist, I was told that I would have to wait till lunchtime for a medical certificate stating my ‘Covid’ status, because the Head of Health Care hadn’t yet arrived for work…

Finally, I made it to my first meeting with Probation and was told to go home and rest, and that they would call me.

I was quite poorly for the next few days, with sickness and vomiting – as if I had been poisoned. But I survived.

My initial sentence is now fully served, although I am bound by Standard Licence until September 2023 – unless I am successful on Appeal, now adjourned until November 3rd – thanks to Covid.

Many thanks also to all for your messages of love and support. I will get round to replying to everyone, eventually.

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In light of the total silence from certain prominent individuals representing groups here in England, who claim to champion rights to free expression, I accepted to work on new lyrics penned by my long-time co-author, the hugely talented Gerard Menuhin.

The new song is a follow-up to an earlier number, produced in November 2020. Something of a marathon at eight minutes long, I sing the role of Michele Mainwaring, aka Countess Griaznoff, aka “Lady” Michele Renouf.

Politics, they say, is a dirty business. The question needs to be asked: why is it that my former associates belonging to the Britnat Social Club (including leaders of Patriotic Alternative) have nothing to say about my latest conviction?

The unavoidable conclusion is that they have been working alongside my accusers from the start.

The song that saw me jailed again from Easter to the summer solstice was about Tommy Robinson – despite the judge’s remarks. Only recently did I learn that Robinson’s wife is, apparently, a niece of the late Richard Edmonds… This would explain why, following my first conviction, Edmonds’ advice to me was that I should try to rejoin the Labour party(!). It also helps to clarify his later hatchet job, published by Hope Not Hate satellite mag, Heritage and Destiny, shortly before another of my Court hearings back in 2019.

News of Renouf’s latest gallivanting in fancy dress occasionally soils my inbox. No surprise that these forwarded messages urge correspondents to share some self-publicising clip on Twitter.

Gerard’s latest lyrics were sent to me whilst I was in prison. His and other letters were – exactly the same as last year – withheld by ‘security staff’ who found the content ‘inappropriate.’ Perhaps the c word? I don’t know.

Learning the lyrics by heart and filming (in a wig!) was fun, as have been my few private performances for friends. This version is far from perfect, but it’s a decent enough performance with just a couple of snags towards the end that I managed to patch up using equipment that I currently have at hand.

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It is surreal enough, being the granddaughter of a British soldier who fought and died for his country and having been sent to jail for testing the limits of free speech – for which, I was always told, my grandad sacrificed his life. Those so-called patriots who decided to throw me under the bus are, to reuse a term employed by Labour deputy, Angela Rayner, scum. Despite all their posturing, it seems not in their (financial) interest to actually want to challenge the prescribed narrative concerning WW2.

I have now been jailed twice for singing satirical songs. My right to express myself publicly (and indeed online) as a performing artist has been taken away. This removal of my rights under law has been rubber-stamped by a corrupt Criminal Justice System, and ignored by ‘patriots’ who appear to still believe that Tommy Robinson is the messiah.

If Tommy had any mettle about him in this case, then he might, as one Twitter user suggests, offer to pay my fine. Tommy supported Count Dankula aka Marcus Meecham, yet has nothing much to say about my unique case. Asides the gaslighting and slurs, labelling me a ‘retard’ is unhelpful, as well as downright hypocritical.

Contrary to the facts, several of my original accusers — among whom are two of those who testified against me in Court — now seem to be suggesting that I was jailed for harassment, rather than for causing gross upset with satirical songs. This and other issues not mentioned above are due to be raised with the relevant authorities prior to my November appeal. Until then, once again many thanks to all those with the guts and gumption to lend their support. I hope you enjoy the new song.