British PM slams London event for booking Kanye West, sponsor quits

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed concern about planned concerts in London by US rapper Kanye West, who has a history of antisemitic outbursts.

Campaigners against anti-semitism added their voices to the protests on Sunday and Pepsi, sponsors of the festival concerned, pulled out of the event.

The disgraced 48-year-old hip-hop star — now known as Ye — is due to play three nights at the Wireless festival in London in July as part of a European comeback tour.

Starmer told The Sun newspaper on Saturday it was “deeply concerning Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism”.

He added that “antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly”.

A spokesperson for event sponsor Pepsi told AFP on Sunday that the brand “has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival”, without giving a reason.

The festival’s operating company, Live Nation, has not so far responded to a request for comment from AFP.

The appearance of West, who once released a song called “Heil Hitler”, was announced by festival organisers on social media last month, prompting criticism from Jewish organisations and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Campaign Against Antisemitism, a British charity, on Sunday urged Starmer not to be a “bystander” and to ban West from entering the country.

“Surely this is a clear case,” the charity said on X, suggesting West could be banned as a non-citizen whose presence is not “conducive to the public good”.

West’s European tour has already provoked controversy. In France, the mayor of Marseille said he was “not welcome” for a concert there in June.

West has expressed regret over his antisemitic rants, which he blamed on his bipolar disorder.

In May 2025 he released a song called “Heil Hitler” to mark the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

The song was banned by major streaming platforms.