No10 insists music on Rishi Sunak video ‘is certainly not’ Gary Glitter anthem

Downing Street has been forced to deny that a promotional video of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak contains music by convicted paedophile Gary Glitter, after people drew comparisons on social media.

The one-minute video, captioned “we will work day in, day out to deliver for you”, captures Mr Sunak’s first speech as prime minister alongside his work behind the scenes, including a call with US president Joe Biden.

The video was published on the official Downing Street Twitter account on Friday, as the new leader's first week in office drew to a close.

Twitter users immediately began to question the choice of backing track, claiming the drum pattern in particular was from Glitter’s debut single Rock And Roll, which was first released in 1972.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “I’ve been reliably informed it is stock music – it is certainly not Gary Glitter.”

In 2015, sexual predator Glitter was jailed for 16 years for sexually abusing three schoolgirls following a three-week-long trial.

The 78-year-old, real name Paul Gadd, was sentenced after being found guilty of one count of attempted rape, one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, and four counts of indecent assault.

Glitter, from Marylebone, central London, denied the allegations against him.

Stock music is pre-recorded, royalty-free audio that can be purchased as part of a music library and does not require the user to directly seek permission from the composer or musician.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know