Pop stars and politics. Politicians and pop music. It doesn't really work either way. We're all mildly embarrassed listening to Tony Blair talk about his time in Ugly Rumours or David Cameron waxing rhapsodic on the merits of The Smiths (sorry, but Cameron being fond of The Smiths is so obviously utter baloney - he's a Dire Straits and Genesis man if ever I saw one); similarly, it's natural to feel slightly uneasy when we encounter pop stars giving us their tuppenceworth on the health service or nuclear power.

It's like asking your milkman for his advice on your mortgage - I'm sure he'll have an opinion but is it one worth taking seriously?

So what are we to make of pop stars' increasing predilection for nailing colours to various masts? The main cause to benefit recently has been CND's campaign against a replacement for the Trident nuclear deterrent.

CND was the maypole around which the last generation of political popsters danced in the Eighties. Indeed, the Eighties had any number of political bandwagons upon which to jump. Given that most musicians under 40 lean to the left, Maggie Thatcher's radical right-wing reign offered up plenty of opportunities to get involved, from CND to the miners' strike to gay rights.

And get involved they did. The Labour Party even established a rock 'n' roll wing, Red Wedge, which boasted members such as Paul Weller and Billy Bragg.

Given the total failure of any of the campaigns in which they were involved, it could be argued that their contribution was negligible.

Red Wedge was a farrago that folded embarrassingly and the miners and steelworkers and their communities were decimated. No amount of poncing about onstage or rabid anti-Thatcher jokes could disguise this failure.

Now we have Ricky from the Kaiser Chiefs and Damon Albarn telling us that there shouldn't be a replacement for Trident. Cynicism aside, anything that engages, even for a few minutes, young people in the political process is to be commended. Besides, what do the right have to offer? Phil Collins - tax exile extraordinaire - and one of the blokes from Busted - you know, the one with the eyebrows.

It's also rather pleasing if pop star pontificating enrages those who still view pop as irrelevant.

"There can be few things more likely to make the spirit wilt than watching a rock star lecturing the world on how to run its business," said one critic not so long ago.

Really? More spirit-wilting than reading about an intoxicated male musician living up to the stereotype by sexually harassing a female?

Furthermore, those who complain about rock stars dabbling in areas that they don't understand are often the same people who decry the younger generation's disengagement with the political process.

I know that nothing is going to change because the drummer from Razorlight says it should. But shouldn't we be glad that he at least gives a stuff about something other than getting drunk and laid?

Should pop stars stay out of politics? Email me: soundingoff@thelondonlite.co.uk