Just So Y'all Know, We're Ashamed the Prime Minister is from Scotland

David Weigel | May 2, 2006

The Pet Shop Boys are touring a new album and new single, "I'm With Stupid," which, depending on how you hear it, is either about a disintegrating gay relationship or ire at George Bush and Tony Blair. The group played up the political overtones on Top of the Pops, with a dance squad dressed as Blair, Bush, and other political leaders in Gitmo-style orange jumpsuits. But the other political leaders weren't supposed to get that honor. Before the performance, the BBC insisted on striking four of the Bush and Blair masks for "political balance." They were replaced by Bill Clinton, Vladimir Putin, and the leaders of the UK Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties - the latter of whom was against the Iraq war from the getgo.

Brian Doherty's insightful piece on political rock is here.