UK prime minister criticises band’s inclusion in festival lineup after Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh allegedly displayed flag supporting Hezbollah

Kneecap’s Glastonbury festival performance next Saturday is not “appropriate”, Keir Starmer has said.

Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh appeared in court on Wednesday after allegedly displaying a flag in support of the proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah and saying “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” at a gig in November last year.

In an interview with the Sun, the prime minister was asked if he thought the trio should perform at Glastonbury. “No, I don’t, and I think we need to come down really clearly on this,” Starmer said. “This is about the threats that shouldn’t be made, I won’t say too much because there’s a court case on, but I don’t think that’s appropriate.”

Earlier on Saturday the Conservative party leader, Kemi Badenoch, said she thought the BBC “should not be showing” Kneecap’s performance at the festival.