Kanye West Banned From Entering the UK, Keir Starmer Confirms: ‘Should Have Never Been Invited’

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Screenshot

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday confirmed that Kanye West had been banned from entering the country in response to his numerous controversies.

West had been invited to headline London’s Wireless Festival in July. In light of that news, Pepsi — one of the festival’s sponsors — announced it would be pulling out of the event. West has repeatedly sparked outrage in recent years due numerous instances of pro-Nazi rhetoric. He also showed up to an interview donning a Ku Klux Klan robe.

On Tuesday morning, news broke that the UK government had taken things a step further by outright banning him from even entering the country. In a statement posted on social media, Starmer stood by the decision, saying:

Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless.

This government stands firmly with the Jewish community, and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism.

We will always take the action necessary to protect the public and uphold our values.

Shortly after the news of West’s travel ban, Wireless Festival announced that the show would be canceled entirely:

As a result of the Home Office banning YE from entering the United Kingdom, Wireless Festival has been forced to cancel.

All ticket holders will receive an automatic full refund.

Earlier this year, West took out an ad in The Wall Street Journal to publish a lengthy apology for his past comments. The artist claimed he “lost touch with reality” and emphasized that he was “not a Nazi or an antisemite.”

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