On-screen warnings on Bob Vylan set ‘not good enough’ says UK minister

By Caitlin Doherty, Lily Shanagher and Helen Corbett, PA

On-screen warnings issued by the BBC about "discriminatory language" during Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury set were “not good enough,” a UK minister has said.

The BBC is facing questions after rapper Bobby Vylan – of the rap punk duo – led crowds at the festival’s West Holts Stage in chants of: “Free, free Palestine” and: “Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)” on Saturday.

UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has said there is “no excuse” for the chanting, and the corporation said it showed a warning during the set’s stream about the “very strong and discriminatory language”.

The Bob Vylan set was shown live on an iPlayer stream.

Baroness Jacqui Smith was asked on Times Radio whether she thought the BBC has a bias.

She told the station: “I don’t think the BBC has a bias, but I think it made a mistake here.

A post shared by Bob Vylan (@bobbyvylan)

“It’s not good enough simply to say on screen that, you know, ‘this is dodgy language’.

“It was far beyond that, and it shouldn’t have been broadcast live. And I think it would have been possible for the BBC to stop that.”

The British education minister also told Sky that she was “surprised” that the BBC continued broadcasting the set.

Over the weekend, the BBC said that viewers would not be able to access the performance on demand.

A spokesperson for the broadcaster said: “Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan’s set were deeply offensive.

“During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language.”

A former BBC editor has said that the broadcaster should have the ability to “cut the feed” whenever there “is a hint of hate speech”.

Sir Craig Oliver – who also served as director of communications for David Cameron in Downing Street – told Radio 4’s Today programme: “I suspect at next year’s Glastonbury there’s going to have to be a senior editorial figure who does understand the sensitivities and is going to cut the feed.”

Sir Keir Starmer led the criticism from across the political spectrum over the weekend, and also referenced Belfast rap trip Kneecap, who had faced calls to be cut from the festival after a member was charged with a terror offence.

Responding to the chants from Bob Vylan, the UK prime minister said: “There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech.

“I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence.

“The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast.”

Bob Vylan, who formed in Ipswich in 2017, have released four albums addressing issues to do with racism, masculinity and class.

Bobby Vylan’s real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, 34, according to reports.

In a statement posted to Instagram, Vylan said: “Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place.

“As we grow older and our fire starts to possibly dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us.”