The U.K.'s Business Secretary Vince Cable is retracting comments he made against One Direction at a news conference in central London on Monday, reports BBC News.
The politician said that it was "mad" that the band members had had earned roughly $7 million each last year and called their income "grossly immoral."
Cable now insists that he "misheard" the question and wasn't directing the jabs at the former X Factor contestants.
"I don't want to attack One Direction, this is one particular group who are apparently very popular and very successful so I have nothing against them," Mr. Cable said.
Last week, The Sunday Times released its 2013 Young Music Rich List, which features U.K. artists under 30 who are raking in the big bucks.
One Direction reportedly landed a cool $38 million (split five ways, of course) last year. Their huge paychecks put them in the No. 2 slot after Adele, who garnered $46 million.