Celebrating outsiders… with the don of defiance, John Lydon

In this weeks issue…We celebrate the awkward squad, the outsiders, those who challenge convention and allow their thoughts to run down the paths less travelled. We have gathered a fascinating crew.

We kick off with the great John Lydon, always captivating, always offering something new. He tells Peter Ross about the outsiders who inspire him – Mozart, Mae West and, naturally, John Lydon feature.

Amongst the others lighting up the way are Gary Bell, formerly homeless, no qualifications and heading nowhere, he is now a respected QC – he has a lot to say on education. We have mischief making economic commentator Max Keiser on his way forward for capitalism. Lancelot Clark, scion of the shoe dynasty, is a rascally old fella who is turning his eye to helping people in Africa help themselves. Tonya Joy Bolton is an inspirational character who has spent years working with vulnerable kids while the annoyingly young and impressive Professor William MacAskill says it’s time you rethought everything you thought you knew about doing good. And Steve Silberman says we need to look again at autism and focus on the positive impact those with the condition can make.

Our Letter To My Younger Self is with Lenny Henry, an outsider himself as the working class black kid in Dudley trying to break into the entertainment industry.

John Bird says Jeremy Corbyn and Donald Trump are cutting through because people are sick of the mass produced, foundry-built politicians – akin to Barbie Dolls with a good soundbite. It’s time politicians stopped pretending they have all the answers, and for all of us to participate, he says.

Our featured vendor in My Pitch this week is Sammy Rea, who sells in the Keiller Centre in Dundee. Belfast-born he was in care from three and a half months old until he was 17 when he was booted out and into a homeless hostel. The Big Issue is helping him, he says, work towards seeing his daughter again and finding a flat.