I am not a Tory: Kate Bush clarifies her political beliefs

Kate Bush has denied being a supporter of the Conservative Party and said comments indicating she was were taken out of context.

The reclusive singer was quoted in a Canadian magazine in 2016 as voicing support for Theresa May.

During a conversation about US presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and the “fear of women’s power”, Bush said: “We have a female prime minister here in the UK. I actually really like her and think she’s wonderful.

“I think it’s the best thing that’s happened to us in a long time. She’s a very intelligent woman but I don’t see much to fear.”

However Bush, who rarely performs live, has now moved to distance herself from the comments and said she is not a Tory.

Writing on her website, she said that during the interview with Canadian magazine Maclean’s she mentioned Mrs May because “I felt it was a good thing to have women in power”.

Bush, 60, added: “I should have been clearer when I then said it was the best thing that had happened to us for a long time – because I greatly disliked the behaviour of the previous PM, who at that point I felt had abandoned us and everybody felt angry and let down.”

Bush said the original article could have made her appear to be a Tory,  “which I want to make clear I am not”.

Bush found fame aged 19 after her song Wuthering Heights, inspired by Emily Bronte’s novel, reached number one in the UK singles chart in 1978.

Other hits include The Man With The Child In His Eyes, Babooshka and Running Up That Hill.

Bush remains an elusive presence and performed her first live show in 35 years in 2014, having not toured since 1979.