Kemi Badenoch has demanded that the anti-Israel rap trio Kneecap be prosecuted after video emerged of one member of the group calling for Tory MPs to be killed.
Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman also said on Monday that the Prime Minister believes the comments from the band member were “completely unacceptable” and “condemns them in the strongest possible terms”.
Meanwhile Labour MP David Taylor wrote to organisers of the Glastonbury Festival, urging them to remove hip hop trio Kneecap from the bill citing their violent threats.
A video emerged of the group at a gig in November 2023 that appeared to show one member saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”
The Conservative leader said Kneecap’s “anti-British hatred has no place in our society” as she called for the group to face action.
Badenoch said it was “good” that police were looking into the allegation, adding: “Kneecap’s glorification of terrorism and anti-British hatred has no place in our society.
“Now footage shows one of them saying, ‘The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.’
“After the murder of Sir David Amess, this demands prosecution.”
Kill your local MP.’ After the murder of Sir David Amess, this demands prosecution.”
Amess, who was a Tory MP, for was stabbed to death while meeting constituents in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, in 2021.
His daughter Katie Amess told BBC’s Good Morning Ulster: “It is just beyond belief that human beings would speak like that in this day and age, and it is extremely dangerous.”
Scotland Yard is looking into the incident, along with another concert from November last year in which a member of the band appeared to shout, “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah” – groups banned as terrorist organisations in the UK.
Video also emerged of the group at a November 2023 gig appearing to show one member saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”
The band are listed to play on the Saturday of this June’s Glastonbury Festival.
In his letter to Sir Michael, shared on X, Taylor the MP for Hemel Hempstead, said: “By hosting such a group, Glastonbury Festival risks undermining its proud tradition of promoting peace, unity and social responsibility.
“It would be deeply troubling to see the festival provide a platform to individuals who advocate hatred and violence, especially at a time when political and social tensions are already high.”
He added: “I urge you to reconsider the decision to host Kneecap and remove them from the list of performers.
“Doing so would send a clear message that Glastonbury stands firmly against violence, terrorism, and political extremism in all its forms.”
