Politicians often come under heavy criticism from musicians if they use their music without permission, with US President Donald Trump the latest to be threatened with legal action. The likes of the Rolling Stones and Neil Young have both ordered Trump to stop playing their tracks at rallies and election campaign events. And Mr Cameron, who was Prime Minister for six years between 2010 and 2016, was also issued a similar threat after he appeared on the BBC’s ‘Desert Island Discs’ when he became Leader of the Opposition in 2006.
While on the show, Mr Cameron selected a number of indie-rock and Britpop tracks as his favourites, including The Smiths’ ‘This Charming Man’ and the Radiohead classic ‘Fake Plastic Trees’.
But after hearing Mr Cameron had chosen one of his group’s tracks, Mr York struck back insisting he was unhappy at being one of the future Prime Minister’s favourite bands.
He told Dazed and Confused: “Politics is not a fun thing to write about.
“I can’t say I love the idea of a banker liking our music, or David Cameron. I can’t believe he’d like [Radiohead’s last album] King of Limbs much. But I also equally think, who cares?
“As long as he doesn’t use it for his election campaigns, I don’t care. I’d sue the living s*** out of him if he did.”
Mr Cameron wasn’t the only politician interviewed on the BBC Radio 4 favourite who chose Radiohead among their favourites.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who teamed up with Mr Cameron after the 2010 election to form a Government, also selected a track of Mr York’s – this time ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out)’.
It comes as the Rolling Stones issued a similar warning to Trump, urging the President to stop using their track ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’.
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In a statement, the family said: “Trump was in no way authorised to use this song to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind.
“Both the late Tom Petty and his family firmly stand against racism and discrimination of any kind.
“Tom Petty would never want a song of his to be used in a campaign of hate. He liked to bring people together.”
