Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has expressed significant concern regarding Kanye West’s upcoming performance as the headliner for the Wireless Festival in London this summer.
West, who now goes by the name Ye, has faced extensive backlash for his antisemitic remarks made in recent years, for which he issued an apology in January.
The 48-year-old American rapper was announced as the headliner for all three days of the rap and R&B festival in north London earlier this week.
In response, Sir Keir stated, as reported by various media outlets, that West’s booking is troubling given his history of antisemitic comments and his past expressions of admiration for Nazism.
„Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears,“ Sir Keir emphasized. „Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe.“
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey also weighed in on the matter, suggesting on Thursday that the government should prevent West from entering the UK. He argued that „we need to get tougher on antisemitism,“ labeling West’s planned appearance as „extremely serious.“
Controversial History of Kanye West
Last year, West was denied entry into Australia following the release of a song titled „Heil Hitler,“ which glorified the Nazi leader. Earlier this year, he controversially declared himself a Nazi, retracting a previous apology regarding his antisemitic remarks, and even sold T-shirts featuring a swastika on his clothing website.
In November 2025, West reportedly met with Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto, during which he apologized for his past antisemitic statements. In January, he took out a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal, expressing remorse for his antisemitic behavior.
„I am not a Nazi or an antisemite,“ he stated. He attributed his actions to bipolar disorder, explaining that during manic episodes, he „lost touch with reality.“ He added, „I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state.“
West’s account on X faced multiple bans in 2022 due to posts that violated the platform’s guidelines. This followed a series of offensive tweets, including one that appeared to show a symbol combining a swastika and the Star of David, along with a statement indicating he would go „death con 3 On Jewish people.“
In the same year, he faced backlash for wearing a „white lives matter“ T-shirt during Paris Fashion Week. His controversial actions led to the termination of his partnership with clothing brand Adidas, which stated it does „not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech.“
Upcoming Festival Details
West has not performed in the UK since 2015 when he headlined Glastonbury. Three tracks from his latest album, „Bully,“ released in March, are currently featured in the UK’s top 100 singles chart.
The Wireless Festival, scheduled to take place from July 10 to July 12, has described the event as a „three-night journey through his most iconic records.“
Earlier this week, the leader of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the largest organization representing Jews in the UK, stated that West should be barred from entering the country.
A spokesperson for London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan remarked, „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 organizers and not one that City Hall is involved in.“
Festival Republic, the organizers of Wireless, have been contacted for further comment.
