Swinney urges Wireless organisers to ‘reflect’ on Kanye West booking

Scotland’s First Minister has urged the organisers of Wireless Festival to “reflect” on the decision to book Kanye West – after previously refusing to wade into the situation.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Edinburgh, John Swinney said “I don’t think people need advice from John Swinney” on their music taste.

Put to him that West had previously released a song entitled Heil Hitler, Mr Swinney said the UK Government “should go on and take their decisions within their powers”.

The Home Office announced later on Tuesday the rapper would be blocked from entering the country.

Mr Swinney said he had never heard any of the rapper’s songs and Heil Hitler “certainly doesn’t” appeal to him.

He had earlier told LBC he wanted to “stay out” of the row, adding: “We live in a free country, people are going to say things – let’s just let people enjoy the music they want to listen to.”

In a later statement, a spokesman for the SNP said the First Minister “was not aware” of calls to ban the rapper from entering the UK following past antisemitic comments.

The spokesman said: “John Swinney was asked a question by journalists about Kanye West at an event this morning.

“At the time, he was not aware of the discussion around whether the artist should appear at Wireless Festival.

“Having been made aware of Kanye West’s abhorrent racist comments, the First Minister utterly condemns them and stands against antisemitism in all its forms.

“While it is not for the First Minister of Scotland to determine who performs at a music festival in London, Mr Swinney is clear that the organisers should reflect on their decision and he would support any appropriate action taken by the UK Government.”

The First Minister’s initial comments drew the ire of Scottish Labour, whose equalities spokesman Paul O’Kane said: “It is inconceivable that John Swinney did not know about Kanye West’s abhorrent comments. It is either that or he is completely out of touch and is not across major issues.

“Swinney should have condemned these antisemitic and hateful remarks immediately, but he failed to do so, instead brushing them off as ‘people are going to say things’.

“That is not acceptable and it should not have required the SNP’s press office to rush out a hurried statement to cover up for Swinney’s total failure to take a stance on this issue.

“Rather than hiding behind a spokesperson, Swinney should apologise for this directly and make clear that he stands against all forms of antisemitism.”

In January, West took out a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal to apologise, titled: “To Those I’ve Hurt.”

“I am not a Nazi or an antisemite,” it said.

“I love Jewish people.”

In his letter, he said his bipolar disorder led him to fall into “a four-month-long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life”.

Scottish Tory candidate Jackson Carlaw said: “Jewish communities, and indeed people across Scotland, will be stunned by the casual and incredulous remarks from John Swinney.

“They were deeply disturbed by the prospect of this individual performing at a festival in the United Kingdom given his glorification of Hitler and the antisemitic views he has spouted.

“John Swinney was quick enough to wade in on a similar situation last year, but appears to have been completely blindsided by this news.

“He should reflect urgently and recognise that his comments were completely out-of-touch.”