As if being a Liberal Democrat MP doesn’t open him up to enough public criticism, the Junior Transport Minister Norman Baker has filmed a video for his band’s pop song and uploaded it to YouTube. For all to see. Entitled ‘Piccadilly Circus,’ the track, from Baker’s band The Reform Club, is written about the famous London landmark and carries more than a passing resemblance to The Kinks (no offence intended to the Davies’ brothers and their far superior song-writing skills, there), who also liked to write about the city’s features.

The cheaply-shot video pans around the busy London site as Norman walks about in a black trilby hat, open-collared shirt and black jacket, offering up some vaguely political views on the rag-tag bunch of tourists and tramps that gather at Piccadilly Circus. “Don't get caught under flashing neon signs in recessionary times,” the politician warns, just about holding the tune. YouTube commenters have offered up mixed opinions on the song, with one user, Mark Armitage commenting that he’s “seen more charisma in a bag of sand” and, remarking on the rather shaky nature of the footage, adds “why hire a camera operator that can’t operate a camera?” Another, Gabe Doyle described the track as “unspeakably dreadful.”

It’s not all bad news for 55 year-old Baker and his Reform Club, though. Samuel Rees commented “Annoyingly, it’s quite a good song.” Others seemed equally unbothered by the politician’s stab at landing a pop hit. We’re not entirely sure they’ll be setting the charts on fire with this low-rent effort, though. 

What do you think of Norman Baker's song?