5 songs in the field of: the Lib Dem Conference
By Joe Goggins
Joe Goggins suggests the soundtrack to this year’s Liberal Democrat party conference
1. Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word – Elton John
Surely Mr. Clegg’s first port of call when he finally ‘apologised’ before the conference for one of most galling political betrayals in history. He’ll likely have played the Blue version to ensure he remained ‘down with the kids’.
2. Billy Liar – The Decemberists
The line “he drifts to sleep with a moan and a weep” probably best applies to the Lib Dem voters than to the MPs who sold them down the river at their first sniff of power.
3. Judas – Lady Gaga
At £75 a pop, not even all thirty of Mr. Clegg’s pieces of silver would have afforded him a ticket to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Ball shows last month. Popjustice described the titular character as ‘repeatedly drawn to awfulness’. Apt.
4. Bruise Violet – Babes in Toyland
Frontwoman Kat Bjelland switches between growling “you were born with glue instead of spine” and menacingly cooing “liar, liar, liar…” amidst typically grungy mid-90s guitar work and racing drums, in a track that could easily serve as official party anthem.
5. Apocalypse Please – Muse
Given that they have let down pretty much everybody who voted for them, the sound of Matt Bellamy wailing “declare this an emergency” over stormy piano could prove appropriate as the Lib Dems are wiped out at the next election.
Joe Goggins
More Coverage
2026 Freshers’ gig guide
If you’re into music, you came to the right city. From jangle pop to Chinese cloud rap, our music editors write about their Freshers’ gig recommendations
Preview: The Warehouse Project turns twenty
The club night series celebrates its twentieth anniversary in Manchester. Here’s how it ace its jam-packed autumn/winter programme
“We are the fucking rain!”: The Prodigy Live From Wythenshawe Park
The legendary electro-punk group return to a rainy Manchester for their third performance in under two years
Pushback online as White Hotel site to reopen under new ownership
The legacy Salford venue is set to be taken over by the owners of a nightclub next door as BASTION. Users online voiced issue about a supposedly AI launch poster, and a smoothing over of The White Hotel’s diverse gig programming







