For years he was in his own “bubble of success”, blissfully unaware of the impact of politics on average people.
Now, the Squeeze singer Glenn Tilbrook and his band are drawing attention to the poverty crisis blighting the lives of millions across the UK.
The new wave band, best known for 1979’s Cool for Cats, is donating all proceeds from the new EP and single, Food for Thought, to independent food banks.
Those set to attend the band’s 25-date UK tour are being asked to bring donations for the anti-poverty charity the Trussell Trust, which operates a network of food banks across the country.
“It’s terrible and wrong that so many people have no choice other than the help that food banks provide to feed their family,” Tilbrook said. “That there are so many people who have to choose between heating and eating is a disgrace.”
Food for Thought, released on Friday, includes pithy social commentary on the cost of living crisis, with lines such as “Robert waits for his turn no fuss, the wage he earns is not enough”. The song, Tilbrook said, expresses “anger at the lack of action from politicians who are in power now”.
He added: “They just look the other way. I’m fed up with it. I think a lot of people are. Most of us have more empathy than that. But we’re driven by a hard-right ideological government that can’t see that, which makes me very fearful.
“The social security system was set up to save people who didn’t have work, and now people are earning wages and it’s still not enough. More and more people are being pushed into a position they have no control over. With more austerity on the way and interest rate rises, it’s going to get worse.”
Most of the band’s songs were written by Tilbrook and Chris Difford, who were once hailed as “the heirs to Lennon and McCartney’s throne”. While the group’s lineup has changed over the years – with Jools Holland appearing on keyboards at one point – they continue to sell out concerts around the world.
Their political activism is not new. In 2016, Squeeze staged a protest in front of David Cameron live on BBC television by changing the lyrics of their song Cradle to the Grave to rail against the destruction of the welfare state.
“I had my head up my arse for a good deal of time as far as politics was concerned,” Tilbrook said. “I was blissfully unaware of the impact of stuff on people, I was in my own little bubble of success.” Slowly, he said, he began to take notice of what was happening. “I started looking outside my life, and that was a good thing.”
The Trussell Trust has predicted the worst winter yet for food banks, with need for them outstripping donations for the first time. The charity is preparing to provide 1.3m emergency food parcels in the next few months, including half a million for children.
According to Tilbrook, there are “some pretty simple solutions, and that’s got to start with corporation tax. It wouldn’t hurt too much to do that. The prime minister’s wife was non-dom until they were called out on it. That speaks volumes.”
He said he was energised by the way musical acts such as Kae Tempest, Stormzy and Dave had approach politics in their music. “It knocks me out and blows me away. The lightbulb moment for me was, I don’t think Squeeze could ever do that, but we can do that for our audience,” he added.
The band’s tour runs until the end of November and features the special guest John Cooper Clarke. The response from fans has been amazing, Tilbrook said. “People are generous, and if they can give they will, and they have been. Other acts are starting to do similar things at shows now. Our promoters have also started collecting for food banks. Enough people are angry at what’s happening.”
• This article was amended on 7 November 2022. Due to an error in the original caption supplied, the band member on the left of the main image was identified as Paul Carrack; it is Melvin Duffy. The spelling of Glenn Tilbrook’s first name was also corrected.
