Kneecap Glastonbury slot ‘not appropriate', says Prime Minister
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he does not think Kneecap's planned Glastonbury Festival performance is 'appropriate'.
He made the comments after Kneecap member Liam Og O hAnnaidh appeared in court on Wednesday, after being charged for allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah while saying 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a gig in November last year.
In an interview with The Sun, Sir Keir was asked if he thought the trio should perform at Glastonbury, to which he replied: 'No, I don't, and I think we need to come down really clearly on this.
'This is about the threats that shouldn't be made, I won't say too much because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate.'
It comes after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance at the festival next week.
Mrs Badenoch said in the X post, which was accompanied by an article from The Times that claimed the BBC had not banned the group: 'The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda.
'One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act.
'As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism.'
The Tory Leader of the Opposition has previously called for the group to be banned from Glastonbury, and last year Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK Government in Belfast High Court after she tried to refuse them a £14,250 funding award when she was a minister.
Kneecap took aim at Mrs Badenoch in their latest single, The Recap, released just before their headline set at London's Wide Awake festival in May, with the song mocking the politician's attempts to block their arts funding and the Conservative Party's election loss.
On Wednesday, O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh at Westminster Magistrates' Court in 'Free Mo Chara' T-shirts.
During the proceedings, a prosecutor told the court the 27-year-old is 'well within his rights' to voice his opinions on Israel and Palestine, but the alleged incident at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, is a 'wholly different thing'.
O hAnnaidh was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing at the same court on August 20.
Following the hearing, the rapper said: 'For anybody going to Glastonbury, you can see us there at 4pm on the Saturday.
'If you can't be there we'll be on the BBC, if anybody watches the BBC. We'll be at Wembley in September.
'But most importantly: free, free Palestine.'
The charge came following a counter-terrorism police investigation after the historical gig footage came to light, which also allegedly shows the group calling for the deaths of MPs.
In April, Kneecap apologised to the families of murdered MPs but said footage of the incident had been 'exploited and weaponised'.
In an initial post in response to the charge, Kneecap said: '14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us.
'We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves, this is political policing, this is a carnival of distraction.
'We are not the story, genocide is, as they profit from genocide, they use an 'anti-terror law' against us for displaying a flag thrown on stage. A charge not serious enough to even warrant their crown court, instead a court that doesn't have a jury. What's the objective?
'To restrict our ability to travel. To prevent us speaking to young people across the world. To silence voices of compassion. To prosecute artists who dare speak out.
'Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries. Then, like now, they claim justification.
'The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.'
Formed in 2017, the group are known for their provocative lyrics in both Irish and English and their merchandise.
Their best-known tracks include Get Your Brits Out, Better Way To Live, featuring Grian Chatten from Fontaines DC, and 3Cag.
A BBC spokesperson said: 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
37 minutes ago
- Metro
All the rumoured secret sets at Glastonbury 2025 from Pulp to Lewis Capaldi
It's almost time for the gates of Worthy Farm to open and there are still plenty of secrets sets in the lineup for Glastonbury 2025 yet to be uncovered. Organisers slowly revealed the artists for each stage ahead of the festival — which runs from Wednesday, June 25 to Sunday, June 29 — but Glasto-goers know there's plenty hidden in the fields. Attention this year is largely focused on the mysterious Patchwork, who are taking to the Pyramid Stage on Saturday, but there were a whopping 56 TBAs (to be announced) when the full lineup dropped. Emily Eavis — head organiser and daughter of Sir Michael Eavis — teased that Patchwork has been 'in the works for a while', so it's bound to be a big'un. Glastonbury has an epic legacy of artists like David Bowie, Sir Elton John, Beyonce, Adele, and Oasis so the possibilities are endless. While Olivia Rodrigo, The 1975 and Neil Young headline and the likes of Scissor Sisters and Busta Rhymes are set to perform elsewhere, these are the most heavily speculated names for 2025's secret sets. Pulp rumours simply won't go away for Glastonbury 2025 as fans are utterly convinced they will be performing somewhere across the weekend. Despite frontman Jarvis Cocker saying the group would not be taking to the stage, they are favourites to fill the Patchwork void. Seemingly confirming the news, SecretGlasto shared a video of a patchwork quilt and someone using a sewing machine before cutting to clips of Jarvis and Pulp. The Britpop icons headlined the festival in 1995 after The Stone Roses pulled out, going down in history as one of the best performances. Every year, rumours circulate that Pulp will return but since 1998 we've been left disappointed – except for some solo sets from the frontman. Made up of Jarvis, Candida Doyle, Nick Banks and Mark Webber, the Common People hitmakers revealed a summer arena tour in June. Original bassist Steve Mackey sadly died in 2023, age 56, after a three-month stay in hospital for an undisclosed illness. Helpfully, Pulp's string of dates wrapped on June 21, with Pulp also signing a new record deal and dropping new music. 'Why do we play this game every year with Pulp? Just announce them already!!' wrote icy_device6873 on Reddit. 'Please come through Pulp,' said Minimum-Following794 as MrsCozzyOneStop added: 'Are they ever going to get Pulp?' Come on, Glastonbury, give the people what they want! The trio are finally back. Haim have released new their brand new album I Quit, warming up with singles like Relationships and Everybody's Trying to Figure Me Out. This might just be wishful thinking on our part, but Haim have been hotly speculated for a trip to Worthy Farm. The sisters – Danielle, Este, and Alana – have performed three times at Glastonbury in the past decade (2014, 2017, and 2022). As well as great timing as the trio post endless videos of themselves in London, they have expressed how much they love The Park stage — which has a TBA slot on Saturday at 7.30pm. When asked by Jo Whiley on BBC Radio 2 whether they were free on the Glastonbury weekend, the Falling hitmakers said: 'Well we are playing Margate a couple of days before, so we will be in the area..' 'We love the Park Stage. We played there the first time we came to Glastonbury, it felt like a movie. We were like, how did we get here?' they said. 'You'll never forget the first time you step onto the farm. It's the most insane feeling we will ever have.' Haim were also set to play in 2020, scheduled to take the stage the same week their critically acclaimed third album Women in Music Pt. III was released. While they finally took to the stage two years later in what NME dubbed a 'victory lap', could The Wire hitmakers be looking to re-do their album rollout plan? Oh, did we mention there's a track called the farm on the new album? If they're not there, we quit. Who could forget Lewis Capaldi's heartbreaking 2023 Pyramid Stage set as he broke down in tears on stage. The Someone You Loved hitmaker has been absent from the spotlight since he struggled to finish his performance at Worthy Farm due to vocal issues and a Tourette's flare-up. While he asked the thousands-strong crowd to help him sing his hit song Bruises — which they happily obliged — before wrapping up his set. He's been slowly but surely returning to the public eye, so what better way to celebrate his return to good health than with a triumphant return to the Pyramid Stage. Lewis, 26, is widely thought to be the secret set, scheduled to follow Alanis Morrisette on Saturday, which begins at 6:15pm and ends at 7:15pm. After the Ironic hitmaker performs, there'll then be an hour to fill before Biffy Clyro at quarter past eight; perfect for a Lewis resurgence. Fans have become convinced that Robbie Williams is set to thrill Worthy Farm attendees with an unexpected set. It all kicked off when the official Robbie Williams Facebook page changed its profile picture to the Angels hitmaker at Glastonbury in the 90s. His iconic bleached hair, the red tracksuit, and that missing tooth? The photo is instantly recognisable and Robbie is using it for his latest album, Britpop. There's a cheeky 16.55pm half-hour slot on Friday on the Pyramid Stage which would be perfect for a legendary setlist from this Better Man. He's got a gap in his tour from June 25 until June 28 (Wednesday to Saturday), meaning he could have time to do an earlier set and jet off to his next tour show. The Rock DJ legend last appeared at the festival in 1998 but said on podcast Robbie Williams Rewind, that he would 'slaughter' another performance. He said: 'It's one of those times and places, and a reimagination of what Robbie Williams is. When you do Glastonbury, perception changes more than any other festival. 'Diana Ross could play any festival and not get any traction, but she plays Glastonbury and everybody is talking about it – like Barry Gibb. A lot of people there have an oblique perception of what I am but if they saw me do it, I would take their heads off.' Hot off a brilliant performance at Brighton Pride last year, iconic artist Mika appears to have a Glasto-shaped hole in his tour announcement. At the end of March, the Grace Kelly legend shared that he would be visiting a variety of festivals around Europe this summer. He will perform at Latitude in Suffolk later in July, as well as numerous festivals in France and Italy on his 15 Days of Summer Tour. On June 26, Mika is at Festival De Nimes in France but he has nothing else lined up until July 3 where he is (somewhat helpfully) in Leeds at Millennium Square. Days later, he flies back to Europe, seemingly making a strange detour to the UK for one gig… just in time for Glastonbury. Mika is an absolutely classic pick for a mid-afternoon Other Stage or Pyramid performer, with enough big hits to fill a set and keep the energy up ahead of the headliners. The Lollipop hitmaker last played Worthy Farm in 2007, taking to The Other Stage on Sunday at 6pm, clashing with Paolo Nutini on Pyramid. Fans are convinced that hit 00s band The Wombats will also be playing a set after their latest album, Oh The Ocean, reached number four in the UK charts. Possibly, with no Other Stage TBAs, they could fill the mysterious Woodsies opening slot on Friday. The Wombats formed in Liverpool in 2003, consisting of Matthew Murphy (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Tord Øverland Knudsen (bass, backing vocals, keyboards), and Dan Haggis (drums, backing vocals, keyboards). Perhaps best known for their song Let's Dance to Joy Division, the band's first full-length studio album, A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation, came out in conjunction with the single in 2007. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, The Wombats became a staple of the British indie scene, releasing studio albums This Modern Glitch (2011), Glitterbug (2015), and Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life (2018). Their first number-one album – Fix Yourself, Not the World – came in 2022, topping the UK Albums Chart within a week of release. User SpecificDentist3248 posted on Reddit: 'Thought the Wombats would be a shoo-in with their new album and them touring (playing Liverpool June 19th), wonder if a band of this size could get announced later on?' Character_Honey_653 thinks the odds look good for the band to appear, writing: 'They announced a large chunk of the Woodsies line up later on in April last year, including some good additions like the Vaccines. So I'm also praying for a Wombats announcement! You'd think it'd be likely.' rmackers-197 chimed in: 'They would definitely pull a good crowd that's for sure everyone loves the nostalgia vibes.' Currently, the band has a nice gap in their tour between June 22 and July 10, so maybe Murph and the boys will be at Worthy Farm. Beloved rockers Paramore are keeping fairly quiet, after opening for Taylor Swift on the entire UK and European leg of the Eras Tour. The long-time friends of the Cruel Summer hitmaker last released music in 2023 with hit album This Is Why, touring around the world that year. Paramore – consisting of Hayley Williams, Taylor York, Zac Farro, plus touring members – have never played Worthy Farm despite being one of the biggest bands of the past two decades. Lead singer Hayley has been teasing the possibility of finally embarking on her solo tour after Covid cancelled it, so could she take to a Glastonbury stage? If the band were to perform, they'd likely be much higher up the billing, but Hayley's solo music isn't so well known and could suit Woodsies or Park Stage. While this seems like a long shot, speculation continues to bubble after one Redditor said he had heard the Kerrang DJ accidentally confirm them ahead of the lineup announcement. Other fans – and Metro – were unable to verify this and it was dismissed but maybe Reddit user Rexydan24 simply had a vision. Pop-rock icons McFly could make an appearance at Worthy Farm – possibly bringing frenemies Busted with them. The band – consisting of Danny Jones, Tom Fletcher, Harry Judd, and Dougie Poynter – last played Glastonbury in 2022. The Avalon Stage proved far too small as crowds flocked to see big hits like Five Colours In Her Hair, Star Girl, or Obviously. This year, they are touring, with a break from June 22 to July 9, putting them in the perfect position for a Glastonbury slot. McFly are also running a series of gigs 'vs' Busted – James Bourne, Matt Willis and Charlie Simpson – their former chart rivals, known for Year 3000, Crashed the Wedding and 3am. This kicks off in September with 14 dates; what better way to introduce the concept than with an afternoon slot on the Pyramid Stage? We're thinking a nice Friday or Saturday battle or the bands moment, as Glastonbury performers are known to bring guests on. Fans hope they'll get to see as many of their favourite acts as possible after coughing up almost £400 to attend the iconic weekend. As mentioned, The 1975 are headlining Friday, Neil Young is the Saturday headliner, and Olivia Rodrigo takes Sunday's closing slot. Sir Rod Stewart will take Sunday's tea-time Legend slot, which last year was filled by Shania Twain. Brit award-winning artist of the year Charli XCX is on the lineup for Saturday, confirmed to be headlining the Other Stage by Nick Grimshaw and Annie Mac's Sidetracked podcast after taking over Levels last year. The Other Stage's Friday headliner is Loyle Carner while Sunday is The Prodigy, returning as headliner for the first time since Keith Flint's death. More Trending Legendary DJ Annie also self-confirmed while on the podcast, despite not being on the initial lineup announcement. The rest lineup is bursting with popular artists like Raye (on the Pyramid Stage), Biffy Clyro, Gracie Abrams, Doechii, Beabadoobee, and a debut Glasto performance from Noah Kahan. Lola Young is performing but that's no surprise after her accidental self-confirm at the Brit Awards, telling fans she was at Coachella and Glastonbury while on the red carpet. Only time will tell if Robbie Williams, Pulp, or anyone else rumoured takes to the stage. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Inside the £28,999 Glastonbury accommodation with pools, an onsite hairdresser, and helicopter arrivals MORE: 90s pop icons missed out on Glastonbury legends slot for devastating reason MORE: Pulp fan 'mortified' after Jarvis Cocker mocked her as a teen
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Why some key Tehran allies have stayed out of the Israel-Iran conflict
Hezbollah has long been considered Iran's first line of defense in case of a war with Israel. But since Israel launched its massive barrage against Iran, triggering the ongoing Israel-Iran war, the Lebanese militant group has stayed out of the fray — even after the U.S. entered the conflict Sunday with strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. A network of powerful Iran-backed militias in Iraq has also remained mostly quiet. Domestic political concerns, as well as tough losses suffered in nearly two years of regional conflicts and upheavals, appear to have led these Iran allies to take a back seat in the latest round convulsing the region. 'Despite all the restraining factors, wild cards remain,' said Tamer Badawi, an associate fellow with the Germany-based think tank Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient. That's especially true after the U.S. stepped in with strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran. The 'Axis of Resistance' Hezbollah was formed with Iranian support in the early 1980s as a guerilla force fighting against Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon at the time. The militant group helped push Israel out of Lebanon and built its arsenal over the ensuing decades, becoming a powerful regional force and the centerpiece of a cluster of Iranian-backed factions and governments known as the ' Axis of Resistance.' The allies also include Iraqi Shiite militias and Yemen's Houthi rebels, as well as the Palestinian militant group Hamas. At one point, Hezbollah was believed to have some 150,000 rockets and missiles, and the group's former leader, Hassan Nasrallah once boasted of having 100,000 fighters. Seeking to aid its ally Hamas in the aftermath of the Palestinian militants' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel and Israel's offensive in Gaza, Hezbollah began launching rockets across the border. That drew Israeli airstrikes and shelling, and the exchanges escalated into full-scale war last September. Israel inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah, killing Nasrallah and other top leaders and destroying much of its arsenal, before a U.S.-negotiated ceasefire halted that conflict last November. Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon and to carry out near-daily airstrikes. For their part, the Iraqi militias occasionally struck bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria, while Yemen's Houthis fired at vessels in the Red Sea, a crucial global trade route, and began targeting Israel. Keeping an ambiguous stance Hezbollah has condemned Israel's attacks but did not immediately comment on the U.S. strikes on Iran. Just days before the U.S. attack, Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem said in a statement that the group 'will act as we deem appropriate in the face of this brutal Israeli-American aggression.' Lebanese government officials have pressed the group to stay out of the conflict, saying that Lebanon cannot handle another damaging war, and U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, who visited Lebanon last week, said it would be a 'very bad decision' for Hezbollah to get involved. Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah militia — a separate group from Hezbollah — had said prior to the U.S. attack that it will directly target U.S. interests and bases spread throughout the region if Washington gets involved. The group has also remained silent since Sunday's strikes. The Houthis last month reached an agreement with Washington to stop attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea in exchange for the U.S. halting its strikes on Yemen, but the group threatened to resume its attacks if Washington entered the Iran-Israel war. In a statement on Sunday, the Houthis' political bureau described the U.S. attack on Iran as a 'grave escalation that poses a direct threat to regional and international security and peace." The Houthis did not immediately launch strikes. Reasons to stay on the sidelines Hezbollah was weakened by last year's fighting and after losing a major supply route for Iranian weapons with the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad, a key ally, in a lightning rebel offensive in December. 'Hezbollah has been degraded on the strategic level while cut off from supply chains in Syria,' said Andreas Krieg, a military analyst and associate professor at King's College London. Still, Qassem Qassir, a Lebanese analyst close to Hezbollah, said a role for the militant group in the Israel-Iran conflict should not be ruled out. 'The battle is still in its early stages," he said. "Even Iran hasn't bombed American bases (in response to the U.S. strikes), but rather bombed Israel.' He said that both the Houthis and the Iraqi militias "lack the strategic deep strike capability against Israel that Hezbollah once had." Renad Mansour, a senior research fellow at the Chatham House think tank in London, said Iraq's Iran-allied militias have all along tried to avoid pulling their country into a major conflict. Unlike Hezbollah, whose military wing has operated as a non-state actor in Lebanon — although its political wing is part of the government — the main Iraqi militias are members of a coalition of groups that are officially part of the state defense forces. 'Things in Iraq are good for them right now, they're connected to the state — they're benefitting politically, economically,' Mansour said. 'And also they've seen what's happened to Iran, to Hezbollah and they're concerned that Israel will turn on them as well.' Badawi said that for now, the armed groups may be lying low because 'Iran likely wants these groups to stay intact and operational.' 'But if Iran suffers insurmountable losses or if the Supreme Leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) is assassinated, those could act as triggers," he said.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
US orders departure of family members and non-emergency US personnel from Lebanon
BEIRUT/ WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department ordered the departure of family members and non-emergency U.S. government personnel from Lebanon citing the volatile security situation in the region, a State Department notice emailed to U.S. citizens in Lebanon showed on Sunday. The world awaited Iran's response on Sunday after President Donald Trump said the U.S. had "obliterated" Tehran's most sensitive nuclear sites, joining Israel in the biggest Western military action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution. The U.S. had last year ordered the departure of family members and non-essential staff during Israel's war in Lebanon that had dealt severe blows to Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, but that order was later lifted. "On June 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of State ordered the departure of family members and non-emergency U.S. government personnel from Lebanon due to the volatile and unpredictable security situation in the region," the State Department said in its notice. The Israel-Iran war, which began on June 13 with Israeli attacks on Iran, has raised further alarms in a region that was already on edge since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023. The U.S. State Department has a "Level 4: Do Not Travel" advisory for Lebanon.
