British cabinet minister: No one in House of Commons wants Kneecap to play Glastonbury

Kneecap are on the bill for this year’s Glastonbury Festival. File picture: Liam McBurney/PA

Rap group Kneecap should not be allowed to perform at Glastonbury although the final decision is for the festival organisers, according to a British cabinet minister.

Commons Leader Lucy Powell said she believed “no-one in this House” would want to see the group at the festival, adding: “We’ll all continue to say so loud and clear.”

The Belfast band are being investigated by counter-terrorism police after videos emerged allegedly showing the band calling for the deaths of MPs and shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”.

Video has emerged of the group at a November 2023 gig appearing to show one member saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”

Can the Leader of the House reassure us that if this band remains on the bill at Glastonbury that she will not attend and that she will also discourage all of her Cabinet colleagues from attending also?

Kneecap apologised on Monday to the families of murdered MPs and claimed footage of the incident had been “exploited and weaponised”.

They added they have “never supported” Hamas or Hezbollah, which are both banned organisations in Britain.

Speaking at business questions, British Conservative MP Lincoln Jopp (Spelthorne) raised the allegations against Kneecap and welcomed the police investigation.

He told the Commons: “However, as of today, they still remain on the bill for Glastonbury this year.

“Can the Leader of the House reassure us that if this band remains on the bill at Glastonbury that she will not attend and that she will also discourage all of her Cabinet colleagues from attending also?”

Ms Powell replied: “These are incredibly serious, unacceptable comments, whether they’re against a Conservative MP or any other MP I totally condemn them and the whole House condemns them.”

She added: “On the issue of Glastonbury, I’m sure the festival organisers have heard loud and clear the comments that have already been made about that band and it is a matter for Glastonbury Festival to take that forward.

“But I’m sure that no-one in this House would want to see them playing at Glastonbury and I’m sure we’ll all continue to say so loud and clear.”