It’s only when you hear a proper fire, brimstone and a hopeful crack of light glimmering through political speech that you realise how poor Parliamentary oration in Britain is these days. Michael Sheen’s speech in Tredegar from the weekend is one of those inspirational, motivational moments you hear so rarely these days – delivered with magnetic force by someone you feel you can get behind and march with (you can read the full text here).

How a Newport-born Hollywood actor got to this point is just as interesting as the speech itself. It’s a story explored in the utterly brilliant BBC Cymru documentary Michael Sheen’s Valleys Rebellion, in which the actor retraces the steps of the Chartists. In election year, it’s essential viewing. As the man says, “You must stand up for what you believe. But first of all – by God, believe in something.” (Robin)