There’s not much that the Conservatives, the SNP and Labour agree on – but it appears Irish rappers Kneecap have pulled off the improbable and united political opponents against them this week. The republican band has been the source of much outrage after video footage from a 2023 concert emerged, in which one of the trio appears to say: ‘The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.’ In a political environment that has seen two UK politicians murdered within the last decade, the remarks are rather disturbing. Counter-terrorism police are now assessing the clip, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer has suggested that the group’s government funding should be cut. Well, actions have consequences…
But the Kneecap controversy doesn’t stop there. There is a second video circulating from a gig in November last year, also being investigated by the police, which appears to show a band member shouting ‘up Hamas, up Hezbollah’ at a London show. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has been quick to slam the group, accusing Kneecap of glorifying ‘terrorism and anti-British hatred’ on Twitter today and demanding the band face prosecution. Sir Keir’s spokesperson has said that the PM does not think ‘individuals expressing those views should be receiving government funding’ while one of his MPs has gone further, calling on Glastonbury to disinvite the music group from this summer’s festival. And Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has even followed suit, calling for Kneecap to be removed from the line-up of Glasgow festival TRNSMT – after blasting them for having ‘crossed the line’. You can say that again!
Taoiseach Micháel Martin has not been quite so forceful, however, with the Irish prime minister instead calling on the group to ‘urgently clarify’ their comments. Yet when Kneecap were asked by BBC News Northern Ireland for comment, they responded: ‘Statements aren’t aggressive – murdering 20,000 children is though.’ Last year the Irish rappers won a discrimination case against the UK government after Badenoch, the then-Tory Business Secretary, withdrew funding for the hip-hop trio. At the time it was deemed ‘unlawful’ and the band was awarded £14,250. If Labour does decide to cut their arts grant again, Mr S isn’t sure Kneecap will receive all that much sympathy this time around…
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