The BBC is being pressured to play a song vying for Christmas number one that tears into Keir Starmer and Labour’s decision to slash winter fuel payments.
Freezing This Christmas by Sir Starmer and the Granny Harmers has been steadily climbing the charts in the run-up to Christmas, leading to the very real possibility that it may reach the number one spot.
While it is topping the charts in terms of downloads, the artistis behind it have claimed radio stations are refusing to play the song, which is raising money for people affected by the winter fuel cut.
Chris Middleton and Dean Ager are urging the BBC to prove its impartiality by playing the charity single, which is a parody of Mud’s 1974 Christmas song Lonely This Christmas.
The song goes: « It’ll be freezing this Christmas, without fuel at home, it’ll be freezing this Christmas, while Keir Starmer is warm. It’ll be cold, so cold, without fuel at home, this Christmas. »
It ends with: « Merry Christmas, Keir, I hope you can sleep at night. »
The Prime Minister was even been teased about the song’s popularity during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday. He said he would not « adjudicate between the contending singles for the top of the charts ».
Luke Evans, Tory MP for Hinckley and Bosworth, asked Starmer if he would congratulate Middleton for his single, which has already raised over £10,000 for Age UK.
Starmer responded: « I will end, Mr Speaker, this last question, I think, by just repeating a happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year to everyone across the House. »
Should ‘Freezing This Christmas’ take the number one spot, it would also beat out Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey’s Christmas chairty single raising money for young carers.
Tory MPs are hitting back at the BBC for not playing Freezing This Christmas and praising the song as a « powerful check on power ».
Greg Smith, MP for Mid Buckinghamshire, told The Telegraph: « [It’s] an absurdity that the BBC who like to present themselves as being allegedly impartial should not play a song that is selling so well – and could even be number one.
« Satire is often the most powerful check on power – and this song is highlighting the seriousness of Labour’s political choices to give bumper pay deals to their union paymasters whilst stripping some of our poorest pensioners from vital funds to heat their homes this winter. »
A BBC spokesman told the outlet that decisions on what radio stations play are « always made with the relevant audiences and context in mind ».
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