West performing in California in 2024. He apologised in January for his antisemitic remarks in a letter published as a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal. Photograph: Scott Dudelson/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenWest performing in California in 2024. He apologised in January for his antisemitic remarks in a letter published as a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal. Photograph: Scott Dudelson/Getty ImagesKanye West headlining Wireless festival is ‘deeply concerning’, says Keir StarmerPM says antisemitism is ‘abhorrent’ after booking of West, who has song called Heil Hitler and last year advertised swastika T-shirt
Keir Starmer has said it is “deeply concerning” that Kanye West, the US rapper who has made a series of antisemitic comments, is to appear at a British music festival.
The prime minister joins others who have criticised Wireless festival for booking the musician, also known as Ye, to headline all three nights of the forthcoming event in London.
The rapper has drawn widespread condemnation in recent years after he began voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler, and has made a series of antisemitic remarks.
Last year, he released a song called Heil Hitler, a few months after advertising a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website.
Starmer said: “It is deeply concerning that Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism.
“Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted clearly and firmly wherever it appears. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe and secure,” he added, in comments first reported by the Sun on Sunday.
Read moreEd Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, has called on the government to ban West from entering the UK, saying: “We need to get tougher on antisemitism.” He described West’s planned appearance as “extremely serious”.
The Jewish Leadership Council last week condemned Wireless festival for booking the rapper, who will appear after heightened attacks on the UK Jewish community. The conduct of the organisers was “deeply irresponsible,” it said.
Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, has also said it was “absolutely the wrong decision” to allow West to play.
A spokesperson for the 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 organisers and not one that City Hall is involved in.”
West apologised in January for his antisemitic remarks in a letter published as a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal.
In his letter, he apologised to Jewish and black people, and said his bipolar disorder had led him to fall into “a four-month long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life”.
Wireless festival, which is sponsored by Pepsi, has been contacted for comment.
