Hull legend Paul Heaton offered revenue from his complete back catalogue and future hits to the Government - but they turned it down.

The star, who is currently promoting new album Crooked Calypso which he recorded with Jacqui Abbott, made the revelation during an appearance on Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff on Thursday morning.

Heaton, famous for his work with The Housemartins and The Beautiful South, told host Matthew Wright about the unusual offer he made to business secretary Greg Clark.

Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott play intimate Hull HMV acoustic gig

He said: “I offered my songs up for nationalisation. This would mean songs like Happy Hour, Rotterdam, Perfect 10 and the rest, every time they got played on the radio, the state would take the money and put it back into improving our living standards.

“I felt I’d made enough money from them, I didn’t want to nationalise my savings, as such, I was just saying this was a gift to the British public and I got a refusal from Greg Clark.

"I understand it is not Conservative policy to nationalise things but neither is it to be so blatantly imprudent to throw money away."

During Paul’s appearance on the show with Jacqui, the pair, performed I Gotta Praise from new album Crooked Calypso.

The record looks like taking No.1 spot in this week’s chart which are being announced tomorrow.