in december 1984, weller put together his own charity ensemble called the council collective to make a record, "soul deep", to raise money for striking miners, and the family of david wilkie. the record featured the style council plus a number of other performers, notably jimmy ruffin and junior giscombe. in spite of the song's political content, it still picked up bbc radio 1 airplay and was performed on "top of the pops", which led to the incongruous sight of lyrics such as "we can't afford to let the government win / it means death to the trade unions" being mimed amid the show's flashing lights and party atmosphere.