Songfacts®:

• Bassist and lyricist Nicky Wire told The Quietus about this angry critique of the establishment's attack on the working classes since the Margaret Thatcher-led government of the 1980s: "It doesn't matter what government is around," he said, "we always love to portray ourselves as this holier than thou country, and yet we have scandal after scandal uncovered, right to the root of power, government, Murdoch, the police, Hillsborough, this stupification of the class I grew up in, which I think all stems from Thatcherism really. The idea that if you break down any power that we had we're going to be fu--ed forever."
• The lyric "hiding Lowry's paintings" refers to L.S. Lowry (1887-1976), an English artist who became famous for painting scenes of life in the industrial districts of northern England during the middle of the 20th century. They were peopled with spindly human figures who looked like matchstick men. Wire explained to The Quietus: "The idea of connoisseurs of taste is such a London-centric thing: 'We'll keep these in storage because he's a Sunday painter.' He's not, he's a true genius - it's not just matchstick men, there's true depth to his painting. I find that elitist, 'We know what's better' is so all pervading, from the monarchy to fu--ing Cameron."