ROCK star Roger Daltrey has described his rows with gangland killers the Kray twins as he tried to make a film about their lives.

Daltrey, singer with The Who, owned the film rights to the twins’ life story for five years — but was never able to persuade the movie industry to back it.

Eventually he sold out to a rival company and the twins were said to be paid £255,000 for the film to be made.

The film is a box office hit which has now grossed more than £2 million.

Home Secretary David Waddington is now looking at ways of preventing criminals from ever again profiting from their past. But today Daltrey was unrepentant.

Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival, he said he regularly visited Ronnie Kray in Broadmoor Hospital and bother Reg in Lewes Jail. Both are serving life.

Daltrey said: “I like visiting Ronnie. There is something very interesting about him.

“I have had incredible rows with Ronnie and Reg. I said if I ever made a film about them, it was not going to be a whitewash.”

The film was eventually made by Parkfield Entertainments, starring pop stars Gary and Martin Kemp.

Daltrey said: “It’s all right for these self-righteous MPs to say that criminals should not be paid this amount of money.

“But until they change the law, then I’m afraid you have to negotiate the rights with them if you want to make a film. I feel totally vindicated by the film they have made.”

Daltrey is in Cannes to promote the film Buddy’s Song, in which he stars alongside teenage newcomer Chesney Hawkes.