​M People’s Mike Pickering slates Liz Truss for use of hit track ‘Moving On Up’

Mike Pickering of hit ‘90s band M People was left livid after UK Prime Minister Liz Truss walked out to the band’s famous song ‘Moving On Up’ at the Tory conference earlier this morning.

Pickering explained that the Tory government never asked for permission to use the ’93 track, unlike the Labour party had previously, and is now running into difficulties as he tries to file a cease and desist.

Taking to Twitter after the conference, Pickering exclaimed: “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."

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Truss' speech at the conference, which took place in Birmingham this morning, was expected to address the recent government U-turns and the current cost of living crisis. Pickering has been vocal about his political views online, often berating the Tory party for their policies.

“I’ve already tried to get a cease and desist against them, but my lawyer says it isn’t possible,” Pickering told Rolling Stone earlier today. “I don’t want any association with them. They’re the worst government of my lifetime and I’m old now,” he said.

“They’re liars, they’re deceitful, they don’t care for the north of England and they don’t care for poor people. I can’t even get to Manchester to see my football team because the trains don’t work.”

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The choice of song has also been criticised for its contradictory use of lyrics: “You've done me wrong, your time is up / You took a sip from the devil's cup” sings frontwoman Heather Small. In a separate tweet, Pickering added: “I sincerely hope she listens to the lyrics”.

“They’re all lying freaks in my opinion, but Truss was a Remainer and a Liberal Democrat and all of a sudden she’s now PM. It’s disgusting, it’s career politics at its very worst, run by very inadequate people in my opinion,” Pickering told Rolling Stone.

“They come on and say ‘everything’s fine, you must be mistaken’. That’s not the job of a politician. The job of a politician is to fix things, but they just don’t care about it at all."

[Via Rolling Stone]

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Editorial Assistant, follow her on Twitter