Keir Starmer ‘concerned’ over Kanye West’s UK festival dates

Sir Keir Starmer, the UK’s Prime Minister, has voiced heightened concerns regarding Kanye West’s upcoming performance at the Wireless Festival in London this summer. West, now known as Ye, has drawn broad criticism for his antisemitic remarks in recent years, including an apology published in January. At 48 years old, the American rapper was announced as the main attraction for all three days of the north London-based rap and R&B festival earlier this week.

“Antisemitism in any form is unacceptable and requires immediate action,” Starmer stated. “It’s everyone’s duty to guarantee Britain remains a secure environment for Jewish individuals.”

Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, called for a ban on West’s entry into the UK on Thursday, asserting, “We must adopt stricter measures against antisemitism,” and labeling the rapper’s scheduled appearance as “of extreme gravity.” Last year, West was barred from Australia after releasing a track titled “Heil Hitler,” which praised the Nazi leader. He also publicly identified as a Nazi earlier this year, revoking a prior apology related to his antisemitic statements, and offered swastika-themed apparel on his online store.

West’s X profile faced several bans in 2022 for violating the platform’s guidelines. This followed a string of controversial tweets, such as an image merging a swastika with the Star of David and a statement declaring, “I’ll go death con 3 on Jewish people.” During the same year, he faced backlash for wearing a “white lives matter” T-shirt at Paris fashion week, prompting Adidas to sever ties with him, stating they “do not accept antisemitism or other forms of hate speech.”

In November of 2025, West met with Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto and reportedly expressed regret over his earlier antisemitic remarks. In January, West placed a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal, addressing his antisemitic behavior. He wrote, “I am neither a Nazi nor an antisemite,” and explained that bipolar disorder can cause “manic episodes where you don’t realize you’re ill,” leading him to “lose grip on reality.” He further added, “I deeply regret and am mortified by my actions during that period.”

Since 2015, West has not performed in the UK, with his last appearance being at Glastonbury. Three tracks from his recent album *Bully*, launched in March, are charting within the UK’s top 100 singles. Wireless Festival has characterized the event, scheduled for 10–12 July, as “a three-night exploration of his most iconic music.”

This week, the head of the UK’s largest Jewish representative group, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, informed BBC Newsnight that West should be prevented from entering the country. A representative for London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan remarked, “The artist’s prior comments and actions are offensive and inconsistent with London’s values. The decision was made by the festival organizers, not City Hall.”

Wireless organisers Festival Republic have been approached for comment.