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.
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.
A spokesperson for the festival confirmed it would no longer go ahead in July after the government decision was announced, and said refunds would be issued to those who had already bought tickets.
The statement read: “The Home Office has withdrawn Ye’s ETA, denying him entry into the United Kingdom. As a result, Wireless festival is cancelled and refunds will be issued to all ticket holders.
The UK has every right to deny Ye entry, the issue is that the law is so vague that it’s implemention is up to the home office and largely used to pander to the (foreign/non-dom owned) press, the UK has effective abdicated control of its borders to the media.
Ironically this also weakens democracy in favor of an all powerful executive.