Kanye West's London Show Sparks Backlash Over History of Antisemitic Comments

Major corporate sponsors abandoned London's Wireless Festival and cross-party MPs demanded a government entry ban after rapper Kanye West, who goes by Ye, was announced as the sole headliner for all three nights of the north London event scheduled for July 10 to 12 at Finsbury Park.

Pepsi, the festival's lead sponsor, and drinks giant Diageo both withdrew their support in response to the booking. Diageo, whose labels Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan were slated as partner brands, issued a statement saying: "We have informed the organisers of our concerns and as it stands, Diageo will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless festival." Remaining sponsors Budweiser, PayPal, and water company Drip had not responded to requests for comment at the time of the withdrawals.

The booking, announced March 30, was billed as a "three-night journey through his most iconic records" and marked the first time no other headliners were announced alongside West. Ticket presales via Ticketmaster were set to begin April 7. The festival is run by Festival Republic, whose managing director is Melvin Benn.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement: "It is deeply concerning Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism." Labour MPs Luke Akehurst and Rachael Maskell are among those who publicly urged Starmer to take action. Conservative MP Chris Philp separately wrote to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood urging her to block West's entry. Sky News reported that West's permission to enter the UK is currently under review by ministers.

Under Part 9 of the UK Immigration Rules, Paragraph 9.3.1 provides a mandatory ground for refusal of entry clearance if an individual's presence is not conducive to the public good, covering conduct, character, and associations. Home Office guidance states that a person does not need a criminal conviction to be refused admission on non-conducive grounds. According to The Telegraph, West had not yet made a visa application for his UK trip at the time the backlash erupted.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism formally requested West be barred from entering the UK, pointing to his release of a song titled "Heil Hitler" and his promotion of swastika-themed merchandise as clear evidence that his presence would not be conducive to the public good. Tottenham Hotspur also turned down a request from West's team to perform at their stadium, citing the club's historical connection to London's Jewish community.

West released "Heil Hitler" in May 2025, less than a year before the Wireless booking, which was banned from all major streaming platforms. West had also sold swastika T-shirts in February 2025. He subsequently apologised and released a renamed version of the song, "Hallelujah," with Nazi references replaced by Christian lyrics. Earlier in 2026, he took out a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal describing a "four-month-long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour" during which he said he "lost touch with reality."

Australia revoked West's visa after he released "Heil Hitler," with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke explaining: "My officials looked at it again once he released the Heil Hitler song, and he no longer has a valid visa in Australia." A planned concert in Seoul was cancelled by South Korean e-commerce company Coupang, and West faced the prospect of immediate arrest in Brazil.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan distanced City Hall from the festival, with a spokesperson saying: "We are clear that the past comments and actions of this artist are offensive and wrong, and are simply not reflective of London's values." With West's UK visa application not yet filed and ministers actively reviewing the question of his admission, Festival Republic faces a narrowing window to resolve a booking that has now cost the event its two biggest commercial backers and drawn a public rebuke from the country's prime minister.