Punk-pop band Chumbawamba to split

The group, which scored their first chart hit 15 years into their career with Tubthumping in 1997, said they were calling time on “30 years of being snotty, eclectic, funny, contrary and just plain weird”.

Announcing the end of the band on their website, a statement said: “What a riot it’s been.”

Formed in Leeds, but with their roots in Burnley, the group have been through various line-up changes over the years and included Alice Nutter who went on to become a scriptwriter for TV series such as The Streets, Moving On and The Accused.

They released confrontational early albums such as Pictures Of Starving Children Sell Records and Never Mind The Ballots, but their biggest success came with Tubthumping which reached number two in the charts after signing to EMI, a label of which they had been critical.

It led to Chumbawamba being invited to perform at the Brits the following year, but the group hit the headlines when cross-dressing member Danbert Nobacon threw a bucket of water over the then deputy prime minister.

They scored a further top 10 hit with Amnesia, but returned to a much lower profile as they continued to perform together.

Guitarist and singer Boff Whalley, who has been with the group since it formed, wrote a celebrated memoir, Footnote*.

The band say they will play for the final time before the end of the year.

Writing on their website, they said: “Chumbawamba was our vehicle for pointing at the naked emperors, for telling our version of the truth.

“But eventually the rest of our lives got in the way and we couldn’t commit the time and enthusiasm that the band demanded.”

They added: “Always more clown than politician, the band trips over its outsize feet and performs its final tumble.”