UK Ministers Review Kanye West's Entry Permit Ahead of Wireless Festival

Four major corporate sponsors have pulled out of London's Wireless Festival and UK government ministers are actively reviewing whether Kanye West will be permitted to enter the country ahead of his July headline slot.

The review puts Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's powers under the Immigration Act at the centre of a rapidly escalating political crisis. Mahmood can deny West entry if his presence is deemed "not conducive to the public good," the standard legal threshold for excluding non-citizens. She stopped short of announcing a ban but was direct: "I don't think he should be performing at the music festival, but I can't comment on specific individual cases that will be considered in line with immigration rules. But there is no place for that kind of hatred, bigotry or antisemitism from him or from anyone else."

West, 48, was announced as headliner for all three nights of Wireless Festival at Finsbury Park last month, part of a European comeback tour that would mark his first UK performance in over a decade. His last British appearance was headlining Glastonbury in 2015. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the booking "deeply concerning" given West's "antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism," telling The Sun on Sunday that "everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe." Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, describing West as "guilty of appalling antisemitic and pro-Nazi comments," urged Mahmood to use her Immigration Act powers to refuse a visa outright. Labour MPs have also been pressing Starmer for a full entry ban.

The commercial fallout has been swift. Pepsi MAX, the festival's headline sponsor, withdrew first, followed by drinks company Diageo. By Monday, Rockstar Energy had also pulled out and PayPal announced it would not appear in any future promotional materials. Wireless Festival has not commented, and West remains listed as headliner on its website.

The Mayor of London's office had already refused permission for West to hold a separate concert at London Stadium in Stratford earlier this year, citing community concerns and reputational damage to the city. Mayor Sadiq Khan said West's past conduct is "simply not reflective of London's values."

Jewish community organisations have pressed hard for government action. The Campaign Against Antisemitism called it a "clear case," arguing the government has authority to bar anyone whose presence is not "conducive to the public good" and urging ministers not to be a "bystander." Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, called the booking "the wrong decision."

West's documented conduct spans nearly four years. Antisemitic social media posts in 2022 led to his removal from X and Instagram and the severing of partnerships with Adidas and Balenciaga. He subsequently posted images of KKK robes, rescinded a prior apology, and declared himself "a Nazi." In February 2025, he began selling swastika T-shirts; in May 2025, he released a song titled "Heil Hitler," timed to mark the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat.

In January 2026, West ran a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal titled "To Those I've Hurt," writing: "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people," attributing his conduct to "a four-month-long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life," linked to his bipolar-1 disorder. The CAA noted it is "hard to keep up with Kanye West's apologies and relapses."

Australia revoked West's visa in July 2025, the clearest international precedent for what UK ministers are now weighing. West has not commented publicly, and the Home Office has issued no formal statement on the review's timeline or outcome.