Parliamentary rockers MP4, who have raised a staggering £800,000 for charity, have received a prestigious award.

The group is fronted by Winterton Town councillor and resident Ian Cawsey, who provides vocals and plays bass.

Cardiff West Labour MP Kevin Brennan is on lead guitar and vocals while the Scottish Nationalist MP for Perth and North Perthshire Pete Wishart is on keyboard.

Conservative MP for East Yorkshire Greg Knight completes the quartet on the drums.

The group were honoured with a Westminster award at the fourth annual GovNet Awards held in the House of Lords in December.

MP4 were presented with the Alternative Parliamentary Entertainer Award by Lord Foulkes, ahead of other shortlisted candidates Lord Ancram and Margaret Beckett.

Ian, the former Brigg and Goole Labour MP, said: “We formed MP4 in 2004 after I spoke to Pete, who was keen to see if he could do something musical with Members of Parliament.

“He knew I was a musician and I told him there were probably any number of politicians who could play instruments.

“It was fantastic to be honoured with the award.

“When we are in the studio, it is very much a collective effort by the band.”

Drummer Greg Knight joined the band by chance one day.

He said: “I was walking through the MP Members Lobby and overheard Ian and Pete saying they needed a drummer for a band.

“I learned to play the drums in school and have been playing them for 40 years.

“We all like it enough to give up our own time.”

Each year the group perform at a corporate fundraiser for the Macmillan Cancer charity and they have helped raise more than £800,000 over the past five years.

Kevin Brennan said: “I heard about the band but they didn’t have a guitarist at the time.

“Every rock band needs a guitarist so I approached them about joining.

“We all share a common interest in music and that has held us together.

“Because of our connections, we have managed to play at a variety of different locations.”

MP4 released their debut album titled Cross Party on March 18, 2010.

The album contains 12 songs including originals and covers and is now available to buy on iTunes.

Individual songs are 79p each and the whole album is priced at £9.48. One cover on the album is Oasis Don’t Look Back in Anger.

All proceeds from sales of the album go towards Help for Heroes which supports wounded servicemen and women returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq.