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Nick Clegg spent almost £8,000 filming a remake of a Carly Rae Jepsen video in a desperate attempt to stay relevant in the run up to the 2015 general election.

The former Lib Dem leader hammed it up, playing Tom Hanks ' role in the viral sensation, "I Really Like You".

But where Hanks is shown walking through the streets of New York City, the Lib Dem video replaced the Big Apple with Gravesend in Kent.

The video was quietly shelved, never to see the light of day.

(Image: WENN)

(Image: Carly Rae Jepson)

Behind the scenes images and footage emerged at the time of Mr Clegg during the clip's production.

But the purpose of the video was unknown until it was revealed by the Times this morning.

The short film was intended to show the party was "fun", but it contained no references to Lib Dem policies.

(Image: WENN)

(Image: WENN)

An insider told the Times it "made no sense".

When the pictures emerged, many raised eyebrows at Mr Clegg's decision to wear thick leather gloves and a camel coloured coat while filming a party broadcast.

We now know he was apeing Tom Hanks' style in Canadian pop singer Jepsen's hit video.

(Image: WENN)

(Image: WENN)

A senior Lib Dem source told the Times Mr Clegg thought at the end of the day's filming: "Why the f*** did I do that?"

(Image: Rex)

It's not the first time the Liberal Democrats have been involved in a ropey music video.

Lib Dem Lord Scriven, in his younger days as leader of Sheffield City Council, appeared in a music video advertising Mercure Hotels.

The northern peer sang and danced in a remake of Lou Reed's Perfect Day, in which he portrays an exhausted businessman who arrives at the hotel, just yards from the city's Town Hall, complaining he's had a "hectic day."

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At the time, Lord Scriven told reporters he'd been roped into the production at the last minute, and it was an "internal training video".