Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said Kanye West should not perform at Wireless festival due to his “completely unacceptable and absolutely disgusting” antisemitic remarks. She stated there is “no place for that kind of hatred, bigotry or antisemitism” amid growing criticism of the booking.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also joined the condemnation, calling it “deeply concerning” that West had been booked despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism. The Campaign Against Antisemitism said the government could ban West from entering the UK as his presence would not be conducive to the public good.
Sponsors Pepsi and Diageo have withdrawn their support for the festival, which is scheduled for July in London’s Finsbury Park. PayPal, a payment partner, will not appear in future promotional materials. West, who has not performed in the UK since headlining Glastonbury in 2015, has a history of antisemitic comments, including a song titled “Heil Hitler.”
Tory MP Chris Philp has written to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood urging a ban, while Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey and Labour MP Rachael Maskell have also called for West to be barred from the country. Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, described the booking as the “wrong decision.” The Home Office and Wireless festival have been approached for comment.
