The Promise

Pop and politics have always been uneasy bedfellows. Those of a certain age will recall the cringe factor of seeing Neil Kinnock mucking about in a Tracey Ullman video in the 1980s - even young people were vaguely uneasy at the idea that someone aspiring to run the country should concern himself with such things.

Post-Live Aid, we've become used to our Serious Rock Stars from Bono to Chris Martin issuing pronouncements and edicts on everything from Third World Debt to sustainable living. To which the obvious reply is, "all very nice when you have a private jet and someone to wash your socks, mate."

It may have slipped under the radar that, back in December 2006, the New Statesman broke out its sparkly slingbacks, put on its best lippy and sashayed forth to meet five would-be policy makers, a bunch of narrow-hipped vixens known otherwise as Girls Aloud. It's safe to say the political world did not exactly tremble - however, what followed was not necessarily that embarrassing either. Cheryl Cole, at that point in time poised exactly halfway between uncomfortable memories of toilet-attendant incidents and future quasi-Diana status as Nation's Sweetheart, helpfully offered that she voted Labour because her mum always did. Nadine Coyle was friends with a nurse and suggested the money being spent in the NHS wasn't going to the right places. Sarah Harding ventured that "We need to make politics more user-friendly... It just isn't talked about in normal magazines and newspapers. We never get asked who we would vote for. It could be a general question to ask us in an interview, but it isn't. Everyone has ideas about what we want for the country, but people need to vote to make that happen." Blimey. Join the club. As a snapshot of the political thinking of the successful working-class British girl, it was pretty effective. Amusingly, they didn't want to back David Cameron and seemed rather confused over whether they had met Gordon Brown.

The Guardian had something to say back in 2007 about the lack of political pop music these days.

In truth, getting celebrity backing for your party can be a two-edged sword. In the past, Billy Bragg and Paul Weller have lined up for Labour, Elton John was courted by the Tories and Labi Siffre came out as a Lib Dem. But we wince now at the memories of "Cool Britannia", of Spice Girl Union Jack chic and the Gallagher brothers quaffing champagne in Downing Street. It's all very 1997. Where will it end? One can't imagine the current leaders desperately seeking the seal of approval from Pixie Lott, Lady Gaga and Chipmunk. Maybe we're returning to a time when celebrities can get on with doing what they do best, and politicians can do the same.