If His Tonyness had a Band
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GRIMSBY: Fancy playing our song, PM?
12:30 - 25 March 2005
Ian Cawsey's rock band MP4 could soon become MP5 - if the Prime Minister accepts an invitation to collaborate with the group on a charity single.
The Labour MP for Brigg and Goole, who hails from Grimsby, has formed the world's first Parliamentary rock group, and asked Tony Blair to be a special guest on a track they would like to record to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Relief.
Speaking from Westminster, Mr Cawsey told the Telegraph: "We have always said that we wanted to do a recording for charity, which I think we would like to do for Macmillan Cancer Relief .
"We have always toyed with the idea of inviting special guests to join us and it is true we have discussed the post being taken by the Prime Minister."
Mr Cawsey, a former Welholme and Wintringham School pupil who sings and plays the bass guitar, said that so far the band had only approached Mr Blair in an "informal capacity" by putting out "feelers".
But he said: "I am sure that he would like to do it, because at the end of the day we are doing it in our own time for a good charitable cause???
"However we appreciate that nothing is going to happen between now and the General Election."
Mr Cawsey also warned that the General Election could put their plans under threat if any of the four lost their seats.
The MP said: "None of this is going to happen if all four of us lose our seats at the next General Election, so we are encouraging music lovers in our four constituencies to vote MP4!"
Tongue in cheek he added: "The future of the British music industry lies in their hands."
The track, incorporating Mr Blair's musical contribution, would more than likely be included on MP4's album, which is being produced by Robin Miller, who was behind the Fine Young Cannibals.
The album, which the band hope to call House Music, is being recorded at Mr Miller's Whitfield Street studios in Soho, London, and is set to include tracks including, Midnight Hour, Can't Buy Me Love and Foolish Game.
The band, which also includes Tory MP Greg Knight, who plays the drums, Labour MP Kevin Brennan, who sings and plays the guitar and Labour MP Pete Wishart, who plays the keyboard, helped raise almost £90,000 for charity earlier this year when they opened the Macmillan Parliamentary Palace of Varieties Show 2005.
For Mr Cawsey, MP4 is not his first foray into the world of rock 'n roll.
In 1997, he retired as bass guitarist and singer with Grimsby-area band The Moggies, who he had played with since the 1980s, in order to take his seat in Parliament.
GRIMSBY: Fancy playing our song, PM?
12:30 - 25 March 2005
Ian Cawsey's rock band MP4 could soon become MP5 - if the Prime Minister accepts an invitation to collaborate with the group on a charity single.
The Labour MP for Brigg and Goole, who hails from Grimsby, has formed the world's first Parliamentary rock group, and asked Tony Blair to be a special guest on a track they would like to record to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Relief.
Speaking from Westminster, Mr Cawsey told the Telegraph: "We have always said that we wanted to do a recording for charity, which I think we would like to do for Macmillan Cancer Relief .
"We have always toyed with the idea of inviting special guests to join us and it is true we have discussed the post being taken by the Prime Minister."
Mr Cawsey, a former Welholme and Wintringham School pupil who sings and plays the bass guitar, said that so far the band had only approached Mr Blair in an "informal capacity" by putting out "feelers".
But he said: "I am sure that he would like to do it, because at the end of the day we are doing it in our own time for a good charitable cause???
"However we appreciate that nothing is going to happen between now and the General Election."
Mr Cawsey also warned that the General Election could put their plans under threat if any of the four lost their seats.
The MP said: "None of this is going to happen if all four of us lose our seats at the next General Election, so we are encouraging music lovers in our four constituencies to vote MP4!"
Tongue in cheek he added: "The future of the British music industry lies in their hands."
The track, incorporating Mr Blair's musical contribution, would more than likely be included on MP4's album, which is being produced by Robin Miller, who was behind the Fine Young Cannibals.
The album, which the band hope to call House Music, is being recorded at Mr Miller's Whitfield Street studios in Soho, London, and is set to include tracks including, Midnight Hour, Can't Buy Me Love and Foolish Game.
The band, which also includes Tory MP Greg Knight, who plays the drums, Labour MP Kevin Brennan, who sings and plays the guitar and Labour MP Pete Wishart, who plays the keyboard, helped raise almost £90,000 for charity earlier this year when they opened the Macmillan Parliamentary Palace of Varieties Show 2005.
For Mr Cawsey, MP4 is not his first foray into the world of rock 'n roll.
In 1997, he retired as bass guitarist and singer with Grimsby-area band The Moggies, who he had played with since the 1980s, in order to take his seat in Parliament.
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