Banned protest song, calling UK prime minister a ‘liar’, shoots to number one on Apple iTunes chart
Getty Images. A song calling Prime Minister Theresa May a "liar", the week before voters head to the polls in a general election, has briefly topped the iTunes download charts in the country. · CNBC

A song calling Prime Minister Theresa May a "liar", the week before voters head to the polls in a general election, has briefly topped the iTunes download charts in the country.

The piece of music, which dipped back down to number two on Wednesday morning, is an updated version of a reggae single released in 2010 by the London-based band Captain Ska.

"NHS (National Health Service) crisis, education crisis, u-turns ... You can't trust Theresa May. Let's get this into the top 40," the band said on its YouTube channel.

The song description on Youtube also states: "Download now and force the BBC to play it on our airwaves. All proceeds from downloads of the track between 26th May and 8th June 2017 will be split between food banks around the U.K. and The People's Assembly Against Austerity."

Election guidelines in the U.K. do not allow radio stations to play the song because it could be interpreted as affecting their impartiality. Consequently, some stations – like Heart and Capital FM - have reportedly banned the song from being played. The BBC has said that it won't be playing the song – due to the guidelines - but insists that it hasn't been banned.

The Conservative party and Global Radio, who owns Heart and Capital FM, weren't immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.

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