Chumbawamba asks New Zealand’s populist party to stop using hit song Tubthumping at rallies

Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Get our Now Hear This email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy British band Chumbawamba has asked New Zealand’s deputy prime minister Winston Peters to stop using their hit song Tubthumping at his rallies because the band members do not share his populist ideas. Peters, whose New Zealand First party is part of a coalition government, has used the song at public events and its lyrics “I get knocked down, but I get up again” in his speeches. “Chumbawamba wrote the song ‘Tubthumping’ as a song of hope and positivity, so it seems entirely odd that the ‘I get knocked down …’ refrain is being used by New Zealand’s deputy prime minister Winston Peters as he barks his divisive, small-minded, bigoted policies during his recent speeches,” Whalley said in a statement to the BBC. In a social media post on X, Peters responded: “The story about the use of the Chumbawamba song has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show how my comments about these sorts of media organisations are correct.” Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 4 month free trial Sign up Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 4 month free trial Sign up Peters also said the party has not received a cease and desist letter.