Latest news with #SummerhallArts
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Kate Forbes ban venue forced into a humiliating U-turn after public funds threat
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe venue at the centre of the Kate Forbes cancel culture row has performed a dramatic U-turn after threats to its public funding. Summerhall Arts, which was recently awarded £608,000 in grants, climbed down over an apparent ban on deputy First Minister because of her gender critical views. Bosses had claimed her appearance last week in a political talk was an 'oversight' and gave a 'guarantee' it wouldn't happen again. But after their statement was condemned by senior SNP figures, including ex First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the charity chiefs said no politician would be banned after all. Chief executive Sam Gough told the Mail: 'No one is banned from appearing on the stages. Summerhall is a collection of things in this building, including stages and venues. We have not banned anyone.' Mr Gough's uncaveated comments went further than a statement issued earlier in the day by the organisation, which put a pre-condition on future appearances. It said there would be no ban on anyone 'assuming they adhere to our zero tolerance regarding discrimination'. The damage limitation exercise followed an outcry over censorship with both the Government and arts quango Creative Scotland appearing to wash their hands of it. Ministers said they had no role in 'individual funding decisions', while Creative Scotland, which gave Summerhall £608,302 in January, claimed it had no part in 'programming decisions'. The Scottish Conservatives said both were missing the point - that taxpayers' cash was supporting an organisation that appeared to be breaking the law by stifling free speech. A condition of Summerhall's state funding that it must 'comply with all applicable laws'. Ms Forbes, a devout Christian who opposed the SNP's botched gender self-ID reforms, spoke at the venue last week. Summerhall apologised to performers just hours ahead of her appearance as it was concerned about 'the safety and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ artists, staff and audiences by attracting those who share her 'views' and said 'we have work to do to repair the damage'. They even provided a 'designated relaxed space' or 'safe room' said to be 'terrified' of the 5ft 2in Skye MSP. The row coincided with controversies over gender critical authors being excluded from the state-backed Edinburgh Book Festival and a best-selling book of gender critical essays, The Women Who Wouldn't Wheest, being pulled from a National Library of Scotland exhibition. Finance Secretary Shona Robison called Summerhall's reaction 'unwise and unnecessary', while Ms Sturgeon said she didn't agree with cancel culture or the venue's actions. The Scottish Tories demanded Summerhall's public funding be cut for potentially discriminating against people because of their beliefs. In 2023, the Stand comedy club had to back down after trying to cancel a Fringe show by then SNP MP Joanna Cherry KC because of her gender critical views, admitting its original decision was 'unfair and constituted unlawful discrimination'. Last year Creative Scotland axed £84,555 of public funding from the live arts project Rein after a plan to include real sex acts was deemed a breach of contract. Bowing to pressure yesterday, the venue said 'no-one is banned from the Summerhall building or by Summerhall Arts' and it would 'not be banning politicians or anyone else'. It was a marked departure from its message to artists eight days earlier, which an insider downplayed as merely an 'email to performers', not an official statement. Scottish Tory equalities spokeswoman Tess White said there had been too much 'craven buck-passing' by the Government and Creative Scotland. She said: 'This latest clear-as-mud statement from Summerhall just underlines the need for SNP ministers to step in and order the venue to get its act together. 'Summerhall's shameful decision to suppress free speech didn't occur in a vacuum. 'For years the SNP have been pushing their reckless and unlawful self-ID policy on Scotland's public bodies and pandering to gender extremists. 'As a result, organisations funded by taxpayers think it's okay to silence those who have the moral courage and legal vindication to stand up for women's rights. It's totally unacceptable. 'John Swinney and Creative Scotland, which has form for financing dodgy projects, should remove funding from any group or venue that blocks legitimate free speech.' It emerged yesterday that Summerhall Arts had known since April that Ms Forbes would appear in an event run by the Herald newspaper but did not object. Just 48 hours before the event, managers raised fears about 'hate speech'. SNP Culture Secretary Angus Roberson yesterday told the Herald he was 'a strong supporter of the freedom of speech and of expression at our festivals'. He said: 'It will not be easy all of the time to please everybody. 'But I think keeping an eye on the principle of freedom of expression and the expression of different views is an established and important part of our national life.' Mr Robertson is the MSP for Edinburgh Central, which is home to many cultural organisations, and he said he does not make decisions about their funding to avoid conflicts of interest. He has specifically 'recused himself from decisions in relation to Summerhall', which are taken by employment minister Richard Lochhead instead. A Creative Scotland spokesman said: 'Creative Scotland does not play a role in the programming decisions of funded organisations.' A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'Creative Scotland is an arms-length funding body and Ministers have no role in individual funding decisions.'
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Nicola Sturgeon: Gender opponents said they wanted me ‘raped in toilet'
Nicola Sturgeon has said opponents of her self-ID gender policy have laughed at her miscarriage and said they want her to be 'raped in a toilet' on social media. The former first minister accused self-professed feminists of having 'vilified' her this week, as she released her memoir, despite them claiming to stand up for women's rights. She was forced to deny claims she was responsible for a free speech row over whether critics of her gender policy were being censored, saying she 'does not believe' in cancel culture. The row erupted after an Edinburgh Fringe arts venue indicated that Kate Forbes, the deputy first minister, would not be invited to speak at future events because of her views on trans rights. Summerhall Arts issued an apology to performers for its 'oversight' in allowing Ms Forbes, a devout Christian, to be interviewed on stage last week. Several artists at the venue are performing shows with gay or transgender themes, and some set up a 'safe room' because they claimed to have been 'terrified' while the 5ft 2in-tall politician was in the building, the Daily Mail reported. It also emerged that the National Library of Scotland (NLS) had removed a gender-critical book from an exhibition after staff complained. The library removed The Women Who Wouldn't Wheesht, a collection of essays by feminists, including JK Rowling, about their fight against Ms Sturgeon's gender self-ID laws. The book was selected to be included in an exhibition celebrating the library's centenary but was removed following complaints that it was 'hate speech'. However, it was still available to read in the library. Stephen Kerr, a Scottish Tory MSP, wrote to Angus Robertson, the Scottish culture secretary, arguing that public bodies that fail to protect freedom of speech should have their funding withheld. In his letter, Mr Kerr asked Mr Robertson to 'seek full and transparent explanations' from Summerhall Arts and NLS about their conduct and to make a 'clear public statement ... that freedom of speech and expression are non-negotiable where public funding is concerned.' He urged the culture secretary to 'require that future funding arrangements include explicit, enforceable commitments to uphold these freedoms in practice, and that breaches will have consequences'. Ms Sturgeon's controversial Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) Bill would have allowed Scots to change legal gender by simply signing a declaration, with no medical diagnosis. The legislation was passed at Holyrood, with Ms Sturgeon arguing that some of its opponents were transphobic, 'deeply misogynist, often homophobic, possibly some of them racist as well'. However, it was vetoed by the UK Government over concerns it undermined women's safe spaces. 'Toxic' trans debate In a sold-out interview with broadcaster Kirsty Wark at Edinburgh Book Festival, Ms Sturgeon described the debate around trans issues as 'toxic on both sides'. Highlighting comments made on social media this week, she said: 'There are people who call themselves feminists, standing up for women's rights, saying things about me such as when I described my miscarriage experience the other day 'I haven't laughed as much in years', accusing me of making it up, people saying they hope I am raped in a toilet.' The former SNP leader has recounted the miscarriage she had aged 40 in 2010 as part of events and interviews to publicise her memoir in recent days. She said she was 'heartbroken' about the loss. In the book, named Frankly, she admitted that she 'should have hit the pause button' on the controversial legislation to allow trans people to self-identify. Reflecting on the row over the policy in her interview with Ms Wark, Ms Sturgeon insisted that not all opponents of gender reform are either transphobic or homophobic, but claimed the issue of trans rights 'has been hijacked and weaponised by people that are transphobic and homophobic'. She said she was 'worried' that if she paused the gender reforms at Holyrood, this would have seen her 'give in to that', but admitted that that 'might have been wrong'. 'I don't believe in cancel culture' Asked if her change of heart on the bill merited an apology to the people who say they were 'vilified' for wanting it paused, Ms Sturgeon said: 'People on both sides of this debate are vilified. 'I've been vilified and received some awful abuse, nothing like the abuse trans people are getting right now.' Pressed later for her response to the free speech rows, Ms Sturgeon said: 'I don't believe in cancel culture and I don't agree with that.' She also refused to take responsibility for the decision made by Summerhall Arts. The Fringe venue was awarded £608,302 of public money from Scottish Government quango Creative Scotland in January. In his letter to the culture secretary, Mr Kerr asked for an audit to be conducted to ascertain how much public money had been given to organisations that have restricted freedom of expression. Mr Robertson told the Herald that the Scottish Government was fully committed to freedom of speech in the arts but added: 'For very good reasons, funding to our major cultural and festival events takes place at arm's length.' The Summerhall venue said: 'This event was booked as a series of long-form interviews prior to the guest list being confirmed. 'Summerhall Arts' primary concern is the safety and wellbeing of the artists and performers we work with, and going forward we will be developing robust, proactive inclusion and wellbeing policies that would prevent this oversight in our bookings process happening again.'
The National
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Kate Forbes faces ban from Edinburgh arts venue over trans views
Summerhall Arts issued an apology for the 'oversight' of letting the Deputy First Minister speak at an event last week due to her past comments according to The Daily Mail, including against Scotland's gender reforms. She is a member of the Free Church of Scotland and said she would not have backed same-sex marriage if she had been an MSP at the time of the 2014 vote. Forbes also previously said she would not have backed the Scottish Government's Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill had she not been on maternity leave. READ MORE: John Swinney interview: The FM on indyref2, Israel, energy and more Forbes had appeared on August 7 as part of the Herald's Unspun Live at the Fringe – which saw a number of politicians and commentators take to the stage. The venue's management said they will now develop 'robust, proactive inclusion and wellbeing policies that would prevent this oversight in our bookings process happening again'. Gender critical campaigners have hit out at the move, suggesting it may be illegal – citing the Stand comedy club, which was forced to reinstate a show featuring ex-SNP MP Joanna Cherry at the Fringe two years ago. The venue had initially planned to cancel her show because of her trans views before then U-turning when threatened with legal action. Responding, Kate Forbes said: 'As I stated at the event, I fervently believe in freedom of speech. Any effort to 'cancel' people, especially politicians, undermines democracy. 'Many people attended The Herald event and it is important that we could freely discuss and debate matters in a respectful manner. 'I respect and acknowledge the fact that in a liberal democracy there are people who will agree with me and others who will disagree with me. 'That is all the more reason to create events where the audience and journalists can question politicians openly, as The Herald did.' A source at Summerhall Arts told The Daily Mail: 'This event was booked as a series of longform interviews prior to the guest list being confirmed. "Summerhall Arts' primary concern is the safety and wellbeing of the artists and performers we work with, and going forward we will be developing robust, proactive inclusion and wellbeing policies that would prevent this oversight in our bookings process happening again. "Summerhall Arts issued a communication to all artists making them aware of the event."
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Backlash grows against Fringe venue in free speech row over ban on Kate Forbes
The Edinburgh Fringe venue which plans to ban Kate Forbes faced a major backlash yesterday amid calls for its public funding to be withdrawn. Summerhall Arts faced criticism from across the political spectrum for indicating that the Deputy First Minister will not be allowed to appear in future due to her views on trans issues. The organisation, which received more than £600,000 of public cash from Creative Scotland earlier this year, said it was an 'oversight' that she was interviewed onstage at the venue last week and it would now draw up 'robust, proactive inclusion and wellbeing policies' to ensure it doesn't happen again with future bookings. SNP Finance Secretary Shona Robison led the criticism yesterday, saying it 'doesn't send out the right signal around freedom of speech and intolerance', while the Scottish Government said it 'supports individuals' rights to freedom of expression'. But ministers were urged to go further and ensure that Summerhall and other venues which restrict freedom of speech do not get public cash. In a separate development, it emerged that the National Library of Scotland had removed a book about the fight against the SNP Government's gender self-ID crusade from a major exhibition following concerns by staff members. Murdo Fraser, culture spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives, said: 'There's a need across the public sector to understand that free speech needs to be upheld. 'Public bodies like the National Library of Scotland cannot be involved in censorship of public opinion because they want to protect militant activist groups in the workforce. The same has to apply to groups in receipt of public funds. 'Summerhall has received substantial grant funding from Creative Scotland and these grants need to be conditional on certain standard being met, including upholding free speech. 'The idea that anyone is terrified of Kate Forbes is laughable and it is ridiculous that one of the most powerful politicians in the country as Deputy First Minister is not going to be allowed to speak. No organisation taking that view should receive a penny of public funds.' Mr Fraser said he intends to raise the issue with Culture Secretary Angus Robertson and with Creative Scotland. Asked about the decision by LBC yesterday, Ms Robison said: 'I think we need to be tolerant of each other's views. 'She is the Deputy First Minister of Scotland and I just think it doesn't send out the right signal around freedom of speech and intolerance. 'I know Kate very well and I just don't think it sends out the right message.' Former SNP MP Joanna Cherry yesterday raised concerns about 'threats to freedom of speech in Scotland' from within her party and others. Appearing in a live version of Matt Forde's Political Party at the Edinburgh Fringe, Ms Cherry said: 'It is shocking that a venue in this city has effectively said that the Deputy First Minister is not welcome there, I presume because of her religious faith, and that staff are so coddled that they need to have a safe room provided for them when Kate comes to speak. 'I was at the event that Kate spoke at last week. With all due respect to Kate, it wasn't particularly exciting.' She said there is a 'real problem' across Scottish society, and added: 'This is a problem which has not grown up from the grassroots; it has been imposed from top down. 'It is only with political leadership that we can address these problems and I fear the political leadership isn't there. 'I hold Nicola Sturgeon responsible for a lot of this - a lot of this nonsense is part of her legacy. But I also hold the current First Minister responsible for not having the courage to speak against it. And I think Anas Sarwar is pretty much missing in action on this as well.' A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'While ministers have no role in booking or curation decisions taken by individual venues or institutions, the Scottish Government supports individuals' rights to freedom of expression and we are clear that there is no place for any form of discrimination in Scotland.' Summerhall Arts did not respond yesterday when asked if it would reverse its decision to prepare policies to prevent some artists and politicians like Ms Forbes appearing in future. A spokesman for Summerhall Arts said: 'The Fringe event referenced passed without incident. 'Forbes is not banned from the Summerhall building which encompasses a cafe, pub, arts venues, galleries and independent traders' offices and studios. Swinney, Curtice, Sarwar, Forbes all entered and exited the building the same way for the events over each day. 'The Herald Unspun events were a paid hire and programmed by The Herald newspaper.' Other acts to feature in the Summerhall Arts Fringe programme this year include a spoken word performance by Russian activist group Pussy Riot and a show called 'No Apologies', which reimagines the late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain as a trans woman. The programe also includes a performance entitled 'Chat Sh**, Get Hit', which 'dives into women's anger: how it fuels, how it festers and how it is swallowed'.
The National
4 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Kate Forbes may be banned from Scottish arts venue over trans views
Summerhall Arts issued an apology for the 'oversight' of letting the Deputy First Minister speak at an event last week due to her past comments according to The Daily Mail, including against Scotland's gender reforms. She is a member of the Free Church of Scotland and said she would not have backed same-sex marriage if she had been an MSP at the time of the 2014 vote. Forbes also previously said she would not have backed the Scottish Government's Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill had she not been on maternity leave. READ MORE: John Swinney interview: The FM on indyref2, Israel, energy and more Forbes had appeared on August 7 as part of the Herald's Unspun Live at the Fringe – which saw a number of politicians and commentators take to the stage. The venue's management said they will now develop 'robust, proactive inclusion and wellbeing policies that would prevent this oversight in our bookings process happening again'. Gender critical campaigners have hit out at the move, suggesting it may be illegal – citing the Stand comedy club, which was forced to reinstate a show featuring ex-SNP MP Joanna Cherry at the Fringe two years ago. The venue had initially planned to cancel her show because of her trans views before then u-turning when threatened with legal action. Resounding, Kate Forbes said: 'As I stated at the event, I fervently believe in freedom of speech. Any effort to 'cancel' people, especially politicians, undermines democracy. 'Many people attended the Herald event and it is important that we could freely discuss and debate matters in a respectful manner. 'I respect and acknowledge the fact that in a liberal democracy there are people who will agree with me and others who will disagree with me. 'That is all the more reason to create events where the audience and journalists can question politicians openly, as the Herald did.'
