Roll up, roll up! Welcome to Owen Jones’ special election edition

in this issue…In this time of confusion, claim and counter-claim there is a need for clearsighted guides. So, we asked Owen Jones if he wanted to take control of The Big Issue and lasso some names who could offer new perspectives in the final days before polling.

So successful was he that we’ve had to add pages. We’re carrying 64 pages in this week’s belter. Briefly, this is what’s inside…

Russell Brand is here disentangling his thoughts on politics, on the glory of grassroots movements and whether or not he’d run for Westminster if the opportunity presented.

Michael Sheen, now a fierce and vocal NHS ambassador, explains the background that made him and the Britain he thinks that can be built.

Paloma Faith, the increasingly politicised Brit Award winner, calls for higher taxes and more social responsibility.

Peter Oborne, the great big journalistic beast on why THIS is the most important election of our lifetime. And why we need to make it count.

Peter Hitchens, another journalistic big beast, reveals he favours nationlisation, he’s a trade unionist, and that it’s essential we look beyond the obvious veneers that are presented.

John Bird, The Big Issue’s own big voice, goes international. He spent some time with street paper vendors in Athens recently and urges the international community to give Greece a hand up. It wasn’t so long ago the rest of Europe needed one too.

Great US based commentator Gary Younge deals with the need for better race relations, in the wake of the shooting of Walter Scott in South Carolina. And Humza Yousaf, one of the rising stars of Scottish politics, has faced racism and Islamophobia himself. But he sees positives in society outweighing the negatives.

Paris Lees calls for better understanding of transgender issues.

We also carry the concerns of our vendors as they call on politicians to listen to their big issues ahead of polling day.

ALSO…

The legendary Brian May is calling for a new ‘common decency’ in politics. He details the changes he’d like to see.

Al Murray, the Pub Landlord pens a piece explaining why he’s standing in South Thanet. He’s got a bit of work to do there…

As focus continues to centre on Scotland, journalist Euan McColm says the blueprint for the SNP’s surge was provided by Tony Blair. Which will obviously delight the SNP.

And Radical Independence founder Cat Boyd advocates bringing the voting age down to 16 everywhere, as it was in the Scottish Referendum.

Gary Lineker, meanwhile, is subject of our Letter To My Younger Self this week. He details the moment in his career he most regrets – and the Scottish manager who terrified him and left a lasting terror. No, not that one. He never played for Fergie.