The comments made by Sajid Javid, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 6 April 2026.
Wireless Festival’s booking of Kanye West is disgraceful.
Yes, he has spoken about mental health challenges. That should be met with sympathy. But declaring yourself a Nazi and promoting a song called Heil Hitler should have consequences – and those consequences don’t include being given a stage to spread your hate to thousands of young Londoners.
Let us also be honest about what is happening here. This is not a brave artistic decision. It is a commercial one. The organisers know his notoriety will bring headlines, attention and ticket sales.
That is what makes it so ugly. Young people are growing up in a culture where hatred is too often dressed up as edge, rebellion or entertainment. Put someone with this record on one of Britain’s biggest stages and you send a poisonous message: no matter how vile your conduct, there is still money to be made for you in the attention economy.
So well done Pepsi and Diageo for pulling out. Others should now think very carefully about their values and whether they want to be part of this.
The organisers have a small window to still do the right thing and disinvite him. If they don’t, just like I did with hate preachers, I’m certain the Home Secretary will want to use her powers and block Kanye West from the UK.