Robbie blasted for backing web piracy

Culture minister Kim Howells condemned Robbie Williams today, accusing him of supporting drug and prostitution rackets by saying Internet piracy was “great”.

Mr Howells said he was “appalled” at the chart-topping star’s comments which amounted to “defending theft”.

Williams – whose album Escapology was last year’s biggest seller in the UK - made his remarks at a music conference in Cannes.

He is reported to have said of Internet piracy: “I think it’s great, really I do. There is nothing anyone can do about it.

“I am sure my record label would hate me saying it, and my manager and my accountants.”

Mr Howells laid into the singer in an online chat for Guardian Unlimited saying: “I’m appalled at Robbie Williams’ statement.

“He has an £80m (€120.5m) contract and probably doesn’t worry too much about all those singers, songwriters, musicians, and music publishers who depend entirely for a living on receiving honest revenue from sales of their product.

“Williams should not be defending theft, and this is real theft. It is the equivalent of going into a record store and shoplifting the material on sale. I hope that musicians everywhere will condemn his statement.

“He should also realise that many of these pirate operations are linked to organised crime on a worldwide basis.

“In saying that piracy is a ‘great idea’, Williams is doing the work for international gangs involved in drugs and prostitution who find music piracy an excellent way of laundering their profits.

“The industry should ask him to think again, not least his publishers EMI, who are one of the leading companies in lobbying government to take stronger action against music pirates.”

Williams said he spoke to the heads of record labels about online piracy when he discussed his new record deal last year but found they “don’t know what to do about it”.