Ed Davey has turned Ed Sleigh-Vy to take on Wham! and Mariah Carey in this year’s battle for the coveted Official UK Charts Christmas Number 1.

Every year the UK’s biggest annual chart race sees a flurry of festive favourites flood back into the Official Charts, but it’s Bath Philarmonia’s Young Carers’ Choir feat Ed Davey who are bidding to claim the top spot with the release of ‘Love is Enough’. The charity Christmas song by Bath Philharmonia’s Young Carers’ Choir in support of the Carers Trust and the Bath Philharmonia has been written by six young carers and former young carers and is a tribute to the caring responsibilities of young carers and the bond they share with the people they care for.

Hoping to emulate Christmas single icons like East17 and Michael Bublé; Love is Enough is being released on Thursday 28 November. After a series of heart-warming stunts this year, Ed is thought to be the first-ever politician to go for the top spot in the Christmas music charts. The recording is produced by Brian Rawling and Paul Meehan for Metrophonic Productions. The original writers of ‘Love is Enough’ met with other young carers from Bristol, Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Dorset in Bath last month to record the song professionally with a full orchestra, 20 singers and the Liberal Democrat Leader.

The idea of a Christmas release was Ed Davey’s – inspired by his own time as a chorister when he was also a young carer as a teenager. Recently he was sent a recording of him singing a solo at a Christmas carol service with his choir in 1978 as a 13-year-old and after hearing ‘Love is Enough’ and the work of the amazing young carers with Bath Philharmonia, he asked if they would like to work together to release a single at Christmas for the Carers Trust and Bath Phil.

All money raised from streams and downloads of the charity single will go to the Carers Trust and Bath Phil.

Ed Davey said:
“When I sang In the Bleak Mid-Winter in my local church in 1978, neither I nor my brothers nor my mum fully appreciated how much our lives were all about to change. For mum’s cancer was getting worse and I was becoming a young carer. The next two and a half years before my mother eventually died were extremely tough, but they were also full of love. When I heard the opening lyrics to ‘Love is Enough’ – “every second we have left is worth a thousand others – they struck home and meant so much.”

Bath Philharmonia’s Music Director, Jason Thornton, said:

“At Bath Phil, we believe every young person has a story to tell, regardless of where they are on their musical journey. Our unique approach to co-creating music empowers young carers to amplify their voices and celebrates the incredible roles they play in caring for others. When creating Love is Enough, the young carers shared a profound message: love is everywhere, even when it’s taken for granted. They wanted to remind us all that, no matter who or where you are, there is always someone out there for you”

The single will be available to download from iTunes for 99p as well as on other platforms, and we will be playing this on Radio Bath during the season.