Dexys Midnight Runners' Kevin Rowland "disgusted" at Reform UK's for use of 'Come on Eileen': "All of Dexys are passionately against Farage's politics"

Kevin Rowland’s “disgust” is not a mere celebrity snark; it is a warning to a generation of young people who still think a catchy chorus can stand in for a moral compass. When Nigel Farage stepped onto the stage at the NEC in Birmingham on 4 September, the sound of Come On Eileen blasted from the speakers, a song that has long been a soundtrack to carefree nostalgia. For the son of Irish immigrants and the mastermind behind that anthem, the moment felt like a betrayal of every principle Dexys has championed for years: workers’ rights, anti‑elitism, and a fierce opposition to the politics that divide and impoverish.

Reform UK’s choice was not a coincidence. The party’s billboard in the UK, pairing Farage with the slogan “He blames migrants so you don’t blame billionaires,” mirrors the message Dexys has been vocal about: that the media and politicians use scapegoats to mask systemic inequality. By appropriating a song that has always been about unity and shared struggle, the party turned a cultural touchstone into a propaganda tool. Rowland’s Instagram post, complete with the billboard image, made it clear that the band’s stance is unequivocal: “I, Kevin Rowland … am disgusted to learn that Nigel Farage has used our Dexys Midnight Runners’ song to make his entrance for his party conference speech.” The band’s collective declaration that they are “passionately against Farage’s politics” is a direct challenge to any attempt to sanitize or repurpose their art for partisan ends.

Dexys is not new to the political arena. In 2022, they teamed with Primal Scream to release “Enough Is Enough,” a protest track aimed at railway workers and a critique of widening wealth gaps. Their lyrics warned that “the media sets out to confuse people with lies and divide us with side issues like Brexit and culture wars,” a sentiment that rings even louder today. Earlier this year, Rowland joined forces with Paul Weller, Suggs, Glen Matlock, and Andy McKay in a one‑off London gig to raise funds for Gaza Medics. The event, organized by Artists for Gaza, aimed to rebuild maternity wards and support mobile clinics in Gaza. These actions show that Dexys’ political engagement is not performative; it is a sustained, tangible effort to use music as a vehicle for social change.

Everyone’s celebrating the band’s protest as a win for artistic integrity, but the reality is more complex. The use of Come On Eileen by a far‑right party underscores a larger trend: political groups increasingly co‑opt popular culture to legitimize their agendas. This is not a first; similar tactics have been seen with other iconic songs in recent years. The danger lies in the assumption that a single protest song can counterbalance the broader systemic issues the band critiques. Rowland’s reaction reminds us that music alone cannot dismantle entrenched power structures; it must be part of a broader, coordinated effort.

Given Dexys’ track record and the current political climate, I predict that more artists will form coalitions to directly confront parties that misuse their work. The success of the Gaza Medics fundraiser and the “Enough Is Enough” single suggests that musicians can mobilize fans quickly and effectively. If Reform UK’s appropriation of Come On Eileen sparks a backlash, we may see a surge of artist‑led campaigns that demand licensing and proper attribution before any political use.

The band’s outcry is a stark reminder that art is not neutral. When a song that once united listeners becomes a mouthpiece for divisive politics, the stakes rise for everyone who relies on music as a voice for justice. The next time a party plays a nostalgic hit at a rally, we should ask: whose message are we really endorsing?