Latest news with #DavidAmess
Spectator
4 days ago
- Politics
- Spectator
America is coming for Britain's social media censors
In 2021, after the barbaric Islamist murder of Sir David Amess MP, the response of Britain's political class was as baffling as it was shameful: it decided to ramp up censorship of the internet. Somehow, MPs' vital personal safety came to be equated with the nebulous concept of 'safety' online, along with the protection of 'democracy' from hurty words and unapproved opinions. The Online Safety Act (OSA) was born, handing vast new powers to Ofcom to 'regulate' what could be said online. Well, that was then, and this is now. Twitter, the most influential platform for political news, has become X, and its new owner Elon Musk has made online free speech his mission. The Trump administration has done the same, and with Britain increasingly viewed in MAGA-world as something of a police state, this has set up a clash with the new regime in Washington.
Metro
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Kneecap pulled from lineup at music festival due to 'police safety concerns'
Kneecap has announced that they have been forced to cancel a performance at a music festival due to 'police safety concerns.' TRNSMT will 'no longer' have them perform at the festival in Scotland due to the police force's worries about the safety of the crowd. The controversial Belfast rap trio have scheduled a replacement gig at an O2 Academy in July. They posted on X: 'To the thousands of people who bought tickets, flights and hotels to see us play, we are sorry … it is out of our hands. 'Glasgow has always been a huge city for us. We've played there many many times, with no issues – ever. Make of that what you will. To try to make up for it, we will be at your O2 Academy on Tuesday July 8th.' They also quoted a statement from TRNSMT: 'Due to concerns expressed by the Police about safety at the event, Kneecap will no longer perform at TRNSMT on Friday, July 11. 'We thank fans for their understanding.' Scotland's First Minister John Swinney previously called for Kneecap to be removed from the TRNSMT lineup. He told BBC Scotland: 'I think that makes it incredibly difficult for a band like Kneecap to perform at TRNSMT because I think they have crossed a line to be honest. 'It would be unacceptable to perform on such a stage given the fact their comments are so beyond the pale.' A police spokesperson told the BBC of the lineup change: 'There was no prior consultation with Police Scotland before acts were booked. 'Officers have highlighted the potential reaction of such a large audience to this band would require a significant policing operation in order to support the delivery of a safe event. 'We have also passed on information from the public around safety concerns to allow organisers to make an informed decision on the running of the festival.' The news comes after the group has faced backlash for footage from a 2023 gig that appeared to show a band member saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' The musicians have since apologised to the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox. A member of the group, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, 27, has been recently charged with a terror offence by the Metropolitan Police after an incident on 21 November 2024 at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London. Ó hAnnaidh was charged after allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed organisation Hezbollah at a London show. More Trending In a statement posted on social media, Kneecap said: 'We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves.' 'This is political policing,' it continued. 'This is a carnival of distraction. '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.' 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: Kneecap declare 'they are trying to silence us' as rapper faces terror offence charge MORE: Police crash Kneecap's surprise gig after rapper is charged with terror offence over 'Hezbollah flag' MORE: Kneecap vow to 'fight back' after rapper is charged with terror offence over 'Hezbollah flag'
Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
The fight between Rayner and Reeves will destroy Labour
In the autumn of 2021 Angela Rayner made the kind of headlines that politicians would generally rather avoid. At a fringe event at Labour's annual conference she blasted the Conservatives as 'a bunch of scum' and described then Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a 'racist, homophobic misogynist'. After the usual media hullabaloo, Keir Starmer's deputy issued an apology and the whole thing gradually faded from public memory, along with the response from ordinary Labour Party members at the time. For Rayner was not castigated by her own side; she was not condemned by Labour activists. This despite the fact the House of Commons, just a few weeks later, would gaslight the entire country into believing that harsh and impolite language in politics was somehow a contributing factor in the brutal slaying of Conservative MP David Amess in October that year. In fact, Amess was murdered by an Islamist jihadist, but MPs found it far more comfortable to pretend that using kinder language about their opponents on Twitter might help prevent further such atrocities. A belated reversion to a more polite political intercourse notwithstanding, it was informative to read some of the immediate responses to Rayner's late-night invective before an audience of cheering comrades. Most of them were delighted that she had merely said what they had always thought, with some even suggesting that the word 'scum' was too polite a term for Conservatives. Many of these respondents were likely the kind of people who bought and wore tee-shirts featuring the phrases 'Lower than vermin' (a term coined by former Health Secretary Nye Bevan to describe Tories) and 'Never kissed a Tory'. In that brief glimpse of the real nature of a certain section of the Labour membership, we could glimpse Rayner's appeal to the party and the reason she remains a formidable force in Keir Starmer's Government. Relations between the two have often been strained, not least when it was briefed that Starmer, in opposition, planned to divest her of any influential position around the shadow cabinet table, only for her to emerge from the reshuffle with more titles than Muhammad Ali. But as well as being seen as a doughty class warrior with a healthy (though now less frequently expressed) contempt for the Conservative Party, she has proved herself one of the more effective ministers in this Government, earning the approval of some internal critics who contrast her ability to deliver with the apparent flailing of some of her colleagues, even more experienced ones. She has earned the initials 'GWJ' from at least one approving veteran Labour politician – shorthand for Getting on With the Job. So when tensions between Rayner and Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, arise, as they did this week with the leaking of a memo written by Rayner that advocated a series of tax rises that the Deputy Prime Minister believes will offset the need for at least some planned budget cuts to Whitehall departments, it's a safe bet that a significant portion of the party grass-roots will be rooting for the Deputy Leader they elected back in 2020. If all of this sounds as if Rayner is planning some sort of leadership challenge to Starmer himself, you might be getting a bit ahead of yourself. But not by much. Rumours in Westminster suggest Rayner has no intention of allowing either Wes Streeting or Reeves herself to be crowned as replacements for Starmer should he decide to chuck in the towel before the next election. Her memo, advocating various tax rises on the very people that Labour activists despise most – wealth creators and savers – will stand her in good stead whenever the starting gun is fired. Before that, the memo and its author highlight the two opposing philosophies that are fighting it out for supremacy in the government. Back bench nerves have been brought close to breaking point by the continuing negative public reaction to policy announcements such as the restrictions on the winter fuel allowance and benefit cuts, as well as the refusal, so far, to scrap the Conservatives' two-child limit on benefit claimants. Even Starmer's clumsy attempt this week to reverse ferret on the winter fuel allowance has not gone down well, sparking fears among Labour MPs that further such U-turns, if they are handled as badly, could do more harm than good to the party's reputation for economic mismanagement. Meanwhile, Reeves's carefully constructed strategy, aimed at reassuring the country and the markets that Labour is a responsible steward of the nation's finances, is being directly challenged by Rayner, who has the support of the party and the respect of colleagues in her attempt to revert to a more traditional pre-Tony Blair Labour tax-and-spend agenda. Labour has always struggled to reconcile, in Government, the demands of Left-wing activists and the responsibilities of being the holder of the public purse: less than a year into this administration's life, the unity of the Government in the face of unanticipated pressures could yet be destroyed by the wildly contradictory political and economic philosophies of its central players.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kneecap at TRNSMT would need 'significant' police operation
Police Scotland have said that allowing rap group Kneecap to perform at the TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow would require "a significant policing operation". A member of the Irish language group has been charged with a terror offence after allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed organisation Hezbollah at a London gig. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney previously backed calls for Kneecap to be axed from the TRNSMT lineup on 11 July. It came after the Belfast trio were criticised over 2023 gig footage that appeared to show a band member saying: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP." They have since apologised to the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox. More stories from Glasgow & West Scotland More stories from Scotland A Police Scotland spokesperson said any decision on who performs at TRNSMT was for the organisers to make. However, they said concerns had been raised about safely delivering the event if Kneecap take the stage. TRNSMT is being held at Glasgow Green from 11-13 July, with Kneecap due to perform on the opening night. The police spokesperson said: "There was no prior consultation with Police Scotland before acts were booked. "Officers have highlighted the potential reaction of such a large audience to this band would require a significant policing operation in order to support the delivery of a safe event. "We have also passed on information from the public around safety concerns to allow organisers to make an informed decision on the running of the festival." TRNSMT organiser DF Concerts have said they would not be commenting at this stage. Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, 27, has been charged by the Metropolitan Police after an incident on 21 November 2024 at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London. Mr Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 18 June. In a statement posted on social media, Kneecap said: "We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves." "This is political policing," it continued. "This is a carnival of distraction. "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." Officers from the Met's counter terrorism command were made aware on 22 April of an online video from the event. Belfast man Mr Ó hAnnaidh has been charged under the name Liam O'Hanna. John Swinney previously told BBC Scotland News that previous alleged comments about killing MPs were "completely and utterly unacceptable". The first minister said: "I think that makes it incredibly difficult for a band like Kneecap to perform at TRNSMT because I think they have crossed a line to be honest. "It would be unacceptable to perform on such a stage given the fact their comments are so beyond the pale." Kneecap member charged with terror offence Swinney calls for Kneecap to be axed from TRNSMT festival Kneecap 'kill MP' footage being assessed by police
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Film venue latest to axe Kneecap screening
A Cheshire venue has cancelled a screening of a film about hip-hop trio Kneecap after a clip on social media appeared to show one of the band members calling for the death of British MPs. Storyhouse in Chester was due to show Kneecap, a comedy drama about the rise of the band from Belfast, as part of its Moonlight Flicks in the Park series at Grosvenor Park on 13 July. Counter-terror police are also investigating footage which appeared to show a band member shouting "up Hamas, up Hezbollah". The band said it has never supported either of those groups and would not incite violence against any individual. Storyhouse said it was "committed to free expression... but also to the safety, dignity, and respect of all communities". Several of Kneecap's gigs have been cancelled by venues around the world. The Belfast-based group previously apologised to the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox, but claimed the footage had been "taken out of all context and weaponised" Kneecap said they rejected "any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual. Ever". Councillor Adrian Waddelove, Conservative group leader at Cheshire West and Chester Council, had written to the Storyhouse, which is subsidised by the local authority, urging the film to be pulled, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. In his letter, he wrote: "I believe many local council taxpayers would be shocked to understand that their money is being used to give Kneecap a platform in Chester." Confirming the decision to cancel the screening, a Storyhouse representative said: "This decision follows comments made by a member of the group that have recently come to light which allude to violence against MPs. "We are committed to free expression and critical debate but also to the safety, dignity, and respect of all communities." Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Kneecap: Rap group are no strangers to controversy, but is this time different? Rap group Kneecap's Eden Sessions show cancelled Kneecap should give 'real apology', husband of murdered MP says UK government condemns 'unacceptable' Kneecap comments Kneecap apologises to families of two murdered MPs Storyhouse Cheshire West and Chester Council
