Pepsi have dropped out of its sponsorship of a UK music festival set to be headlined by Kanye West – as criticism grows over the choice of the controversial rapper.
Kanye West, also known as Ye, has not yet submitted an application to visit the UK, it is understood, but could be blocked if his presence is deemed ‘not conducive to the public good’.
Sir Keir Starmer has echoed critics who have blasted Wireless festival over their decision to book the rapper – who is scheduled to headline all three nights of the weekend in July.
The prime minister said it was ‘deeply concerning’ that the musician had been booked for the event in Finsbury Park, north London.
Kanye West has been globally condemned in recent years after he began showing praise for Adolf Hitler, while making a series of anti-semitic remarks.
The 48-year-old musician released a song called Heil Hitler last year, which came a few months after advertising a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website, and called himself a Nazi.
The controversy has caused serious doubts to erupt over whether the festival, which is attended by around 50,000 festival goers a day, will go ahead.
This comes after the sponsorship was dropped, a Pepsi spokesperson said today: ‘Pepsi has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival.’
Kanye West, also known as Ye, has not yet submitted an application to visit the UK, it is understood, but could be blocked if his presence is deemed unfavourable for the public good
Sir Keir told The Sun on Sunday: ‘It is deeply concerning that Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism.
‘Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted clearly and firmly whatever it appears.
‘Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe and secure.’
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey called on the Government to ban Kanye West from the UK, which he described as ‘extremely serious’. He said: ‘We need to get tougher on anti-semitism.’
The powers rest with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on whether the rapper can be banned from entering the country.
As under UK immigration rules, a person can be denied entry based on their character, conduct or associations when these could threaten the British public.
This can include opinions that ‘foster hatred which might lead to inter-community violence in the UK’.
The Jewish Leadership Council last week slated Wireless festival for booking the musician – and said the decision was ‘deeply irresponsible’ by the organisers.
Sir Keir Starmer has echoed critics who have blasted Wireless festival over their decision to book the rapper – who is scheduled to headline all three nights of the weekend in July
This comes after a growing number of attacks on the UK Jewish community.
Phil Rosenberg, who is the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, has described allowing Kanye West to perform as ‘absolutely the wrong decision’.
The rapper apologised in January for his anti-semitic comments in a letter published as a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal.
He apologised to Jewish and black people and blamed his bipolar disorder, which he said led him to fall into a ‘four-month long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life’.
Kanye West last performed at the Wireless festival in 2014. He has not performed in the country for 11 years.
The Daily Mail have contacted Wireless festival for comment.
