Liz Truss's decision to walk out to 1990s megahit Moving On Up backfired spectacularly today when a band member lashed out at her "shower of a government".
The Mirror reports that the Prime Minister selected the M People song, which opens with the line "You've done me wrong, your time is up", for her crunch speech in Birmingham - without first seeking the group's permission. M People star Mike Pickering immediately lashed out at her for using their hit single, saying he did not want it to be a "soundtrack to lies".
But in a delicious dig at Ms Truss, he said she was unlikely to be around to use the song again. The under-fire Prime Minister had a huge smile on her face as she took to the stage - but within moments singer Heather Small's son James Small-Edwards, who happens to be a Labour councillor in Westminster, tweeted: "An apt choice! This tired and out of touch Tory Government is indeed moving on out."
Mr Pickering said it was "sad" that his band couldn't stop the PM using their music. In a scathing tweet he noted Labour had used the song with their permission in the 1990s.
Minutes after Ms Truss walked out in a red dress to a standing ovation at Tory conference, Mr Pickering tweeted: "So apparently we can't stop Truss walking out to our song, very weird! So sad it got used by this shower of a government.
"BTW Truss labour used it with permission in 90's. I don't want my song being a soundtrack to lies."
The son of singer Heather Smalls mocked the PM after she walked out on stage to one of their hit singles. Mr Pickering has later said the band are "livid" and "gutted".
He said: "Heather's boy James is a Labour councillor. Hopefully most people will know that they have pirated it off us. She won't be around to use it again for very long, I would imagine."
Mr Pickering added: "I am absolutely gutted by it because they are killing the live touring of bands and artists."
Liz Truss chose Moving On Up as her walk-on song herself from a range of options. The PM's Press Secretary was unable to say if the Conservative Party had asked for permission to use it.
Asked what Liz Truss thought of Michael Pickering's comments about her "lies", the PM's Press Secretary said: "I don't know who he is."
It was an eventful morning for the Prime Minister, whose speech was dramatically interrupted by Greenpeace protesters. Ms Truss had only delivered around 10 minutes of her speech before she stopped and shouts were heard in the audience.
Protesters were hauled out after raising signs with a Greenpeace logo declaring, "Who voted for this?" while the Prime Minister gave her keynote address. Tory members booed and shouted "Out! Out! Out!" as two people were escorted out by security, then stood in an ovation and shouted "go on Liz, go on Liz!"
The Prime Minister stood awkwardly while they were escorted out and then grinned as she drank in the applause.
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