Leo Varadkar makes scathing remark to Keir Starmer after Kneecap comments
Ex-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has admitted that he thought Keir Starmer was pulling "some sort of gag" when he said Kneecap's upcoming Glastonbury performance is "inappropriate".
Over the weekend, the UK Prime Minister said it was "not appropriate" for the Belfast trio to cash in at the festival, which takes place from this Wednesday until Sunday.
His comments came in the wake of rapper Liam Og O hAnnaidh being accused of displaying a flag in support of banned terror group Hezbollah at a gig.
O hAnnaidh, 27, who goes by the stage name Mo Chara, was bailed until later in the summer — leaving him free to play at Glastonbury.
Asked by The Sun on Sunday if he thinks Kneecap should play, Mr Starmer said: "No I don't.
"I think we need to come down really clearly on this. I won't say too much, because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate."
Reacting to Mr Starmer's comments, former Taoiseach Mr Varadkar said he thought the PM was pulling "some sort of gag".
He said on social media: "No longer hold office nor have any mandate so my views don't count for so much anymore. I get that.
"But I really thought this was some sort of gag. It's the role of artists to be avant guarde, inappropriate, challenging, disruptive - from James Joyce to Sex Pistols and Playboy."
Mr Varadkar warned that politicians should not try to "censor" artists.
"Politicians really should not try to censor this. If an offence was committed, let the courts decide. In the mean time, the rule of law says the accused is innocent until proven guilty."
The Belfast group are due to play the West Holts Stage on Saturday. Bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh have supported O hAnnaidh.
They said at court: "For anybody going to Glastonbury, you can see us there at 4pm on Saturday.
"If you can't be there we'll be on the BBC, if anybody watches the BBC. We'll be at Wembley in September. Most importantly: free, free Palestine."
The BBC has faced pressure not to air Kneecap's set, after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: "It should not be rewarding extremism."
In a social media post on X, which was accompanied by an article from The Times that claimed the BBC had not banned the group, Ms Badenoch wrote: "The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda.
"One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act.
"As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism."
A BBC spokesperson said: "As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers.
"Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines. Decisions about our output will be made in the lead up to the festival."
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