Kanye West has been dramatically blocked from entering the UK after a furious backlash over his planned performance at a London music festival.
Keir Starmer said the US rapper should "never have been invited to headline Wireless" after the Home Office announced its decision.
West made an application to travel to the UK on Monday via an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), it is understood. But the Home Office turned down the 48-year-old’s permission to travel and he does not hold a valid ETA. The decision was made on the grounds that his presence in the UK would not be conducive to the public good.
The Government faced calls to ban West, who currently performs as Ye, as a result of previous antisemitic comments. This includes releasing a track titled Heil Hitler and advertising a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website.
The festival later announced that this year’s three-day event, to be held in Finsbury Park in North London, has been cancelled as a result. Wireless said in a statement: "The Home Office has withdrawn YE’s ETA, denying him entry into the United Kingdom.
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"As a result, Wireless Festival is cancelled and refunds will be issued to all ticket holders. As with every Wireless Festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking YE and no concerns were highlighted at the time.
"Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognize the real and personal impact these issues have had. As YE said today, he acknowledges that words alone are not enough, and in spite of this still hopes to be given the opportunity to begin a conversation with the Jewish community in the UK."
Mr Starmer said: "Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless. This government stands firmly with the Jewish community, and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism. We will always take the action necessary to protect the public and uphold our values."
Downing Street earlier said “all options remain on the table” amid a review of West’s permission to enter the UK to perform at Wireless Festival in July. The PM’s spokesman said decisions would be taken on a “case-by-case basis, in line with the law”.
The Home Office faced calls to ban the rapper and producer from entering the UK after his previous antisemitic comments. He was due to headline the London music festival for three nights, having previously performed there in 2014.
The festival’s promoter, Festival Republic, defended the planned performance ahead of the decision, saying West "has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country".
Wireless festival is on a Home Office list which allows permit-free travel for performers. As a result artists appearing on the bill are allowed into the UK as visitors by obtaining an ETA. This is a visa-waiver which allows holders to make visits of up to six months.
Other events on the list include Reading and Leeds festival, Download and the Edinburgh fringe festival. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman earlier said: “Decisions are taken on a case-by-case basis in line with the law and the evidence available, but where individuals pose a threat to public safety or seek to spread extremism, the Government has not hesitated to act, and that includes cancelling permission to enter this country for extremist preachers and far-right figures.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting earlier today said he is "appalled" by West’s behavior and accused him of using his bipolar disorder as an "excuse". He said: "What I would say is that Kanye West has no business headlining the Wireless Festival. I think organizers showed a terrible error of judgment in inviting him. These weren’t a couple of off-color remarks. These were, I think, a pattern of behavior.
"Antisemitism is serious, it can be deadly and people like Kanye West, who have an enormous platform, fame, reach, they have to accept the responsibility that comes with that. And I don’t think he has. I’m only too disappointed the festival organizers are too blind to see it."
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Nigel Farage earlier said he wouldn’t "recommend" anyone buys a ticket for the festival and said West’s comments are "really vile", but added: "But I think if we start banning people from entering the country because we don’t like what they say, I worry where that ends up... I suspect the free market will sort this out, in that sponsors are withdrawing already, the festival itself is threatened, and I suspect very few people will buy a ticket."
Last week, a spokesman for London mayor Sadiq Khan said: “We are clear that the past comments and actions of this artist are offensive and wrong, and are simply not reflective of London’s values. This was a decision taken by the festival organizers and not one that City Hall is involved in.”
West has offered to meet with the British Jewish community ahead of his show at Wireless. In addition to his apology for previous antisemitic comments issued in the Wall Street Journal in January, Ye said: “I’ve been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly. “My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through my music. I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen. I know words aren’t enough – I’ll have to show change through my actions. If you’re open, I’m here.”
Melvin Benn, managing director at Festival Republic, which promotes Wireless Festival, on Monday described himself as a "deeply committed anti-fascist" and "person of forgiveness". In a statement, Mr. Benn added: “What Ye has said in the past about Jews and Hitler is as abhorrent to me as it is to the Jewish community, the Prime Minister, and others that have commented and – taking him at his word – to Ye now also. “Ye’s music is played on commercial radio stations in this country. It is available via live streams and downloads in this country without comment or vitriol from anyone, and he has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country. “He is intended to come in and perform. We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions.”
Crime & Courts Correspondent
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