He was also involved in the " Poetry Wars " around the National Poetry Society , supporting the Mottram-led experimental poetry faction . MacSweeney was briefly Chairman of the Society in 1977 , leading the final walk-out over Arts Council Policy and the funding of '' Poetry Review '' . MacSweeney and Randell separated in 1979 . Inspired by punk , MacSweeney began work on a series of " State of the Nation " Bulletins , including '' Colonel B '' , '' Jury Vet '' , '' Liz Hard '' , and '' Wild Knitting '' . These often violent and obscene works remain divisive . For Peter Riley , they are " the central disaster in Barry 's career " . Other critics , including John Wilkinson , Marianne Morris , William Rowe , and Luke Roberts , have argued for the political significance of this writing , as an attack on Margaret Thatcher 's Conservative government and a response to the ABC Trial and forms of state violence such as the Falklands War and the Troubles . MacSweeney married for a second time in 1983 , but was divorced soon after . He moved to Bradford in 1983 , and was present as a reporter at the Bradford City stadium fire in 1985
Bradford City stadium fire
Bradford City stadium fire
Barry MacSweeney