Things will only get better? Not on the back of our song, Sir Keir... D:Ream will NOT allow Starmer to use their song that Tony Blair played as a victory anthem after his 1997 landslide

The band behind New Labour anthem Things Can Only Get Better last night said they would not allow Sir Keir Starmer to use it.

D:Ream's 1993 hit became a victory anthem for Tony Blair and has remained popular at Labour discos for decades.

The song had a revival last month when anti-Tory protesters blasted it from speakers near No 10 in a bid to drown out Rishi Sunak as called the July 4 election.

But D:Ream's founding members Al Mackenzie and Peter Cunnah told LBC that they were disillusioned with politics after being accused of having 'blood on their hands' in the wake of the Iraq War.

Asked if they would allow Sir Keir to use one of their songs, Mr Mackenzie said: 'There's no way – our songs and politics, never again.'

He said he would be 'voting to get the Tories out', but added: 'I don't really want the song to be linked to that.'

Mr Cunnah said: 'I've learned the hard way. No, no, no… This is a change of guard, I don't see this as an election. 

'It's just a change of guard, someone handing the baton on.'