Brit pop group M People have hit out at Liz Truss for using their hit song Moving On Up for her key Conservative Party Conference speech.
The Prime Minister walked out to the 1993 banger sung by Heather Smalls but had seemingly forgot to ask the band for permission.
Mike Pickering, a founding member of M People and former resident DJ at Manchester’s legendary Hacienda nightclub, tweeted he was “very angry” during the speech.
He said “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.”
Later he added that he hopes the PM listens to lyrics that Heather Smalls was belting out all those years ago.
She sang: “You’ve done me wrong, your time is up, You took a sip from the devil’s cup
“You broke my heart, there’s no way back
“Move right out of here, baby, go on pack your bags”
Labour Councillor for Westminster, James Small-Edwards, who is also the son of Heather Small, pointed out the awkward meaning behind the song about moving on from a toxic relationship.
He wrote on Twitter: “An apt choice! This tired and out of touch Tory Government is indeed moving on out.”
An apt choice!
— Cllr James Small-Edwards (@JSmallEdwards) October 5, 2022
This tired and out of touch Tory Government is indeed moving on out 🎶🌹 https://t.co/1BG86JPcxa
It came as it emerged Liz Truss personally selected M People song Moving On Up for her walk-on music.
“There was a range of options and she chose that one,” her press secretary said.
He was unable to say whether the party had asked the band for permission.
“I don’t have detailed knowledge of how the licensing of this stuff works,” he said.
When asked about founder Mike Pickering’s criticism, the press secretary said: “I don’t know who he is.”
Pickering said “They (the band) are livid. 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.”
He added: “I am absolutely gutted by it because they are killing the live touring of bands and artists… I am Mancunian and getting from Manchester to London these days is harder than getting on to continental Europe.”
Pickering said the band had contacted their lawyers but been advised there was little that could be done.
He said: “The rest of the band have rung me: ‘For God sake, how can we stop it?’
“And we just rang the lawyers and they went, ‘You can’t actually stop it. We can send a letter to cease and desist but you can’t do it’.
“They can play what they like, which seems a bit weird to me.”
The speech was disrupted by Greenpeace activists furious at Liz Truss’ support for fracking in England and U-Turns on environmental policy.
The eco-activists held a flag which read “who voted for this?”, which was quickly ripped from their hands by one angry Tory member.
Not to be foiled the two female activists unfurled a back up sign with the same message as the audience chanted “Out” repeatedly.
