Kemi Badenoch blasts Labour over 'unbelievable' and 'cowardly' decision to concede Kneecap case
Kemi Badenoch blasted the outcome of the Kneecap case, a spokesman for her describing the decision to concede the case as “unbelievable” and “cowardly” while also blaming the current Labour government for the move.
“Labour will always capitulate rather than defend UK interests,” said the leader of the opposition.
“This case is not about whether a band promotes violence or hates the UK, as Kneecap clearly do; this is about whether government ministers have the ability to stop taxpayers' money subsidising people who neither need nor deserve it.”
The spokesman said the government would “rather waste your money” that stand up to a band “who go to court because the UK government won't hand them cash”.
Meanwhile, loyalist activist Jamie Bryson accused the Labour government of “rolling over on the Kneecap case, to their shame”.
They were rewarded for their weakness by this mob turning up to court wearing balaclavas, flying Palestinian and Irish flags, he said.
“If a loyalist turned up to court in a balaclava waving a Union Flag and blasting ‘The Sash’ the media establishment and liberal elite commentators would be having a furious meltdown.
“Yet, when we see this display, the very same people are salivating over it.”
Accusing Kneecap of “making a mockery of the court process”, he said the day’s events show “just how absurd the political, civic and media bubble has become when this is tolerated”.
He added: “As far as I am concerned, if this is what nationalists think acceptable, then unionists and loyalists should return the serve.”
Former Northern Ireland Tory MP candidate Aaron Rankin questioned why an act as popular as Kneecap wanted the £14,250 grant in the first place.
“One can dislike this lot on artistic grounds but considering Kneecap sell out arenas, what on Earth do they need 14 grand for?” he asked on X, formerly Twitter.
“Also getting government grants isn’t exactly ‘gangsta’, to use rap parlance. Tupac never got arts funding.”
Much of the online reaction was from gleeful republicans, many of them posting from anonymous accounts.
One took to repeatedly claiming that Kneecap had “brought the government to their knees” over the arts funding case, posting the phrase under many different comment threads on X.
Kneecap's lawyer, Darragh Mackin from Phoenix Law, said the unlawfulness of the decision in February by the government was as “clear as the nose on your face”.
“Today is not only a victory for Kneecap but a victory for the arts, for culture, for the freedom of expression,” he said. “Kneecap continue to lead by example in practising what they preach.”
A statement from the Department for Business and Trade said: “This government's priority is to try and reduce costs and help protect the taxpayer from further expense, so we will not continue to contest Kneecap's challenge as we do not believe it in the public interest.”
The department added that it is committed to helping music acts “continue to break into new markets”.