'Money before morals': Wes Streeting condemns Wireless organiser Melvin Benn over Kanye West booking backlash
The decision to book the rapper as a headliner at the UK festival has been heavily criticised following past antisemitism comments, with West set to perform in the UK in July
Wes Streeting has hit out at Wireless organiser Melvin Benn over his decision to book Kanye West as a headliner at this summer's festival.
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The US rapper, who is legally known as Ye, has been at the centre of controversy since it was announced he would be headlining the Wireless Festival at London's Finsbury Park in July.
Last year, West released a song called Heil Hitler and sold merchandise, including a white T-shirt emblazoned with a black swastika.
MPs and Jewish organisations are leading the calls to ban West from the country
Sir Keir Starmer branded the decision to allow West to headline the festival “deeply concerning”, while a string of major sponsors including Pepsi have withdrawn their support for the festival over the booking.
Speaking to Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, Health Secretary Wes Streeting accused the organiser was putting "money before morals" and had "attempted to give West the fig leaf of credibility he doesn't deserve" with his statement on giving the rapper a "second chance".
Earlier today West tried to play down the furore by placing a letter in the Wall Street Journal saying he would be "grateful" for the opportunity to meet with members of the UK Jewish community
But Mr Streeting branded this "a terrible statement."
He said: "He didn't make one or two off colour remarks during a bipolar episode. He wrote, recorded and released a song called Heil Hitler, plastered it across T shirts, has given a mealy mouthed and self-serving apology - and as far as I can see, has done little to earn the forgiveness of Jewish people.
"It's not for me to forgive, I'm not Jewish and I think forgiveness has to be earned. You have to repent and redeem yourself through action, not just words," he continued.
"We're far from that. He shouldn't be headlining the festival and it seems to me that the organisers are putting money before morals and I think that's a real shame."
Kanye's appearance announcement has been met with concern by politicians and the Board of Deputies of British Jews.
Sir Keir Starmer branded the decision to allow West to headline the festival “deeply concerning”, while a string of major sponsors including Pepsi have withdrawn their support for the festival over the booking.
Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast that Kanye West's apologies are currently "just words with no meaningful action".
He said: "Everybody should have the right to redeem themselves, to be rehabilitated and to regain the place that they once held in, in their professions or in society.
"But at the moment it's just words with no meaningful action. And we've had with Kanye west multiple cycles of apology furthered by further anti Semitic contact conduct.
"The most recent being in January this year when he blamed his behaviour on bipolar disorder. If he's sorry, it's great that he's sorry, but we've not seen any evidence that it's genuine and that it's long lasting.
"And with that in mind, the invitation to headline Wireless and the response of wireless to this is quite astonishing."
On Tuesday, West issued a fresh apology on Tuesday morning in which he addresses the conversation "directly".
He said: "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."
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said whether West was allowed to enter the UK was a matter for the Home Office.
He said: “As to whether he should be headlining the Wireless Festival, I think that’s very straightforward, no I do not think he should be headlining the Wireless Festival.
“I think his comments were absolutely grotesque and whatever justification he uses, he has got to accept that with his enormous fame and reach comes influence and a responsibility, and his comments take place against a backdrop of rising antisemitism, rising hatred against Jewish people, not just around the world but in this country.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood now faces calls from politicians and the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) to ban West from coming to the UK, arguing his presence would not be “conducive to the public good”.
It is understood that West’s permission to enter the UK is currently being reviewed by ministers.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said West was “guilty of appalling antisemitic and pro-Nazi comments” as he urged Ms Mahmood to use her powers under the Immigration Act to refuse him a visa.
He said: “She says she wants to fight antisemitism.
“We will now find out how serious she really is.”
In a post on X, the CAA said the Prime Minister had been right to express concern about Wireless’s decision to book West, but added Sir Keir was “not a bystander”.
They said: “The Government can ban anyone from entering the UK who is not a citizen and whose presence would ‘not be conducive to the public good’.
“Surely this is a clear case.”
Labour backbencher Rachael Maskell has also called for West to be banned, saying he “should not be allowed to come to our country to perform in the light of the antisemitic comments that he has made and recorded”.
Pepsi and Diageo withdrew their sponsorship of the festival after West was announced as the headline act but the brands remain prominently displayed as sponsors on Wireless Festival’s official website.
Additionally PayPal, which is a payment partner for the annual rap and hip-hop festival, will not appear in any of its future promotional materials, the Press Association understands.
West, who has not performed in the UK since he headlined Glastonbury in 2015, has drawn widespread criticism in recent years after he began voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler, and has made a series of antisemitic remarks.
The musician, also known as Ye, has been barred from X over antisemitism on multiple occasions.
It is understood that the Mayor of London’s office refused permission for the London Stadium, in Stratford, to stage a Kanye West concert this summer, with sources citing community concerns and the reputational impact on the city.
The Home Office has been approached for comment.
The 48-year-old rapper’s scheduled appearance comes amid fears of growing antisemitism in the UK.
In March, four ambulances from a Jewish community-run service were set on fire in north-west London.
Two men and a 17-year-old boy were remanded in custody on Saturday after appearing in court accused of torching the vehicles.
In October last year, two men were killed in an attack on a Manchester synagogue.
Jewish community organisations have criticised the festival, with Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews calling it the “wrong decision” and called on the Government to consider barring him from entering the country.
In January, West took out a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal to apologise, titled: “To Those I’ve Hurt.”
“I am not a Nazi or an antisemite,” it said.
“I love Jewish people.”
In his letter, he said his bipolar disorder led him to fall into “a four-month-long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life”.
Melvin Benn, managing director at Festival Republic which promotes Wireless Festival, described himself as a “deeply committed anti-fascist” and “person of forgiveness”.
He added that West has a “legal right to come into the country and to perform”.
In a statement, Mr Benn said: “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.
“Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world and I would ask people to reflect on their instant comments of disgust at the likelihood of him performing (as was mine) and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do.”