Downing Street has condemned as “half-hearted” an apology by the Irish language rap trio Kneecap to the families of murdered MPs Jo Cox and David Amess.
Police have launched an investigation after a video of the band at a gig – in November 2023 – resurfaced. It appeared to show one of its members saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”
Another clip from November 2024 shows a band member shouting in support of the proscribed terrorist groups, “up Hamas, up Hezbollah,” in Kentish Town Forum and a Hezbollah flag on display.
Keir Starmer led the condemnation of the band, saying their comments were “completely unaccpetable”.
Kneecap claimed over the weekend in an Instagram post that they have become the subject of a “coordinated smear campaign” due to their vocal support for Palestine.
A new statement issued overnight by the band said: “They want you to believe words are more harmful than genocide. Establishment figures, desperate to silence us, have combed through hundreds of hours of footage and interviews, extracting a handful of words from months or years ago to manufacture moral hysteria.
“Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay. We know this more than anyone, given our nation’s history. We also reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual. Ever.”
“An extract of footage, deliberately taken out of all context, is now being exploited and weaponised, as if it were a call to action. This distortion is not only absurd – it is a transparent effort to derail the real conversation.”
They added: “To the Amess and Cox families, we send our heartfelt apologies, we never intended to cause you hurt.”
Responding to the statement, the prime minister’s spokesman said: “It is half-hearted. We completely reject in the strongest possible terms the threats they have made to MPs. It’s right that police are looking into these videos.”
Politicians – including Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch – have called on Glastonbury organisers to drop Kneecap from this year’s line-up.
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