The Wireless music festival has been cancelled after the artist formerly known as Kanye West was banned from entering the UK amid a deepening political row over his previous antisemitic statements.
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West, who is legally known as Ye, made an application to travel to the UK via an Electronic Travel Authorisation on Monday but it has been blocked by officials. It is understood that the application was initially granted online but was rescinded after review, on the grounds that his presence in the UK would not be conducive to the public good.
A spokesperson for the festival confirmed it would no longer go ahead in July after the government’s decision was announced, with refunds being issued to those who had already bought tickets.
“As with every Wireless festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking Ye and no concerns were highlighted at the time. Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognise the real and personal impact these issues have had,” a statement said.
The rapper has been criticised for making antisemitic remarks including voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler. Last year he released a song called Heil Hitler, a few months after advertising a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website.
Ye took out a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal in January apologising for his antisemitic behaviour and attributing his inflammatory actions to his bipolar disorder. In a statement on Tuesday, he offered to “meet and listen” to members of the UK’s Jewish community.
Watch as the Guardian’s music editor Ben Beaumont-Thomas explains what happened and read more via the link ► https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/apr/07/home-office-bans-kanye-west-from-entering-uk-wireless-festival
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