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tatistics about UB40 never fail to impress, their list of achievements mightily impressive, a Birmingham outfit synonymous with multi-cultural, working-class Britain having sold 100 million records worldwide and had No. 1 hits in many different countries.

In the UK alone, they’ve had 40 top-40 chart entries, 17 singles making the top-10 (including three No.1s) and 15 albums reaching that same milestone (two topping the charts).

But they still feel it’s a case of unfinished business, their last few albums – recorded after Ali Campbell left – heralding something of a creative rebirth. They’ve certainly rediscovered the joys of writing, playing and performing, sounding rejuvenated on new LP, For The Many, inspired by their 40th anniversary and driven by a renewed sense of purpose.

It’s the kind of record that announced their breakthrough, songs with a social conscience, including lengthy dub passages – ingredients that should resonate with fans of first two albums Signing Off and Present Arms at the start of the ‘80s.

Co-founder and guitarist/vocalist Robin Campbell feels levels of racism and inequality in Britain have increased and the struggle continues, the new album title inspired by Labour Party slogan, ‘For the many and not the few’.

“We’re nailing our colours to the mast, as we always do, and we’ve met Jeremy Corbyn several times. He even came to see us at the Royal Albert Hall. It was young people who overwhelmingly voted for Corbyn, and that gives me hope for the future.”

The last few records contain plenty of politics, and this is the same, Robin’s brother Duncan – lead vocalist since 2008, when younger sibling Ali Campbell quit – pitching in with