Britain’s Cameron backs War on Drugs

Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron has offered his support for the War on Drugs.Not the ongoing struggle against the traffic in illegal drugs, but the Philadelphia band whose combination of classic rock and motorik rhythms has won acclaim and sales in the last year, reports The Guardian.

The prime minister told Attitude magazine (via NME): “Samantha got me listening to a new thing called The War On Drugs. I can recommend it. They’re a band, you can find them on Spotify or iTunes – anyway, they’re good.”

The interview was part of a special issue on which party leaders talked about their musical loves. Ed Miliband professed an admiration of Ellie Goulding, Nick Clegg said he listened to Chopin. Nigel Farage’s staff, meanwhile, said he had been listening to French rap.

Cameron has long been staking a claim to be Britain’s indiest party leader. When he appeared on Desert Island Discs in 2012, he chose This Charming Man by the Smiths and Perfect Circle by REM as songs to accompany him if marooned. His repeated professions of love for the Smiths led Johnny Marr to tweet: “Stop saying that you like the Smiths, no you don’t. I forbid you to like it.”

A Guardian music source who attended Oxford University with Cameron said he had also been a great lover of the Pogues in his student days, and would frequently while away the hours listening to Rum, Sodomy and the Lash.

And, famously, he said the xx’s debut album was his preferred soundtrack for afternoon “cuddles” with his wife.