Chronicler of Brexit Coldwar Steve designs exclusive Big Issue cover

The Big Issue is delighted, honoured, and perhaps even a little bit petrified to unveil our exclusive Coldwar Steve Big Issue magazine cover, divined by the man himself, Chris Spencer.

Better known by his Twitter namesake Coldwar Steve, Spencer has also shared his experiences of becoming the unlikely chronicler of the Brexit saga, bringing order we can rely on ahead of a week of chaos in Monday’s magazine.

Farage is amphibian anyway, so it’s ideal that he’s part in water,

His bizarre, composite tributes to world leader disarray have captivated Eastenders fans and modern art pundits alike for years now. And with May’s Brexit deal looming on a fiery horizon, there’s no better time for a new Coldwar Steve creation.

Spencer said: “It started early 2016 before the vote. The very early ones were just Phil Mitchell [Steve McFadden] in Cold War scenarios…then Brexit happened. There was that first moment when the votes came in from Sunderland and it became apparent what was going to happen. I was devastated. Since then I’ve channelled that desperation into the images rather than ranting about it on Twitter.”

Get your hands on our exclusive Coldwar Steve cover collection here

Paul McNamee, editor of The Big Issue, said: “Nothing is resolved. And nothing looks like being resolved soon. We’re sitting, it feels like, somewhere between absurdity and the abyss. Trying to find anything new to say is a fool’s errand. And yet Coldwar Steve has somehow, in his funny, bleak, pillorying pieces, summed up the times we’re in. He was the perfect – the only – man to create this week’s cover. We’re delighted he agreed to create his first ever magazine cover as a cover for The Big Issue.”

Such a huge honour to have done this new commission for @BigIssue!There’s also an interview and other pictures. Comes out on Monday – please purchase a copy 👍👍 https://t.co/KvdhxeAYMV

— Cold War Steve (@coldwarsteve) March 22, 2019

The Big Issue Brexit Cover

On the exclusive cover, which is now available on The Big Issue Shop and on the streets from Monday, Spencer said: “An abandoned caravan is something that I use quite a lot, especially with it falling in the river. It’s obviously a metaphor for Brexit. It’s a pretty obvious one, but it’s got Chris Grayling bumbling his way out of there and the usual suspect poking their heads up. Boris Johnson is running off the other way with his tatty flag. Farage is amphibian anyway, so it’s ideal that he’s part in water.

Nick Knowles is just soaking all up, oozing his charisma.

“Merkel is looking at her watch wondering what the f**k they’ve all been doing, this is as far as you’ve got in three years. Jacob Rees-Mogg is just refusing to take responsibility for anything, just wandering off into the woods. Nick Knowles is just soaking all up, oozing his charisma.”

The Big Issue, the magazine sold by vendors to lift themselves out of poverty, is available to buy from  25^th March across the UK for £2.50.

The full Coldwar Steve cover collection, including the magazine plus mugs, tshirts and tea towels, is available to purchase from The Big Issue Shop.

Cold War Steve presents… The Festival of Brexit is out now (Thames & Hudson, £12.95)