IRISH LANGUAGE rap trio Kneecap have hit back at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after he described the band’s views as ‘completely intolerable’.
Starmer was speaking a day after the High Court dismissed the British Government’s appeal over a previous decision to throw out a terrorism charge against band member Mo Chara.
The singer — real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh — said the case had been brought as an attempt by authorities to silence and discredit him.
Following Starmer’s criticism, a social media post from the band accused him of destroying the Labour Party and supporting war criminals.
CPS will assess ruling
In the wake of the High Court ruling, Mo Chara said on Wednesday that the attempt to prosecute him ‘was always about Palestine… about the lengths that Britain will go to cover up Israeli and US war crimes’.
“The pathetic thing about this whole process is that you falsely tried to label me a terrorist when it is the British government ministers that are arming and assisting a genocide in Gaza, the destruction in Lebanon and the senseless slaughter of school kids in Iran,” he added.
A day later, Starmer aired his feelings on the band during a visit to Belfast, suggesting the matter was not over despite the High Court’s ruling.
“My views on Kneecap are very well known in relation to what they stand for and what they say, which is completely intolerable,” he told ITV.
“I think the CPS were obviously subject to the High Court decision and they will be looking at the judgment very carefully.”
Responding to the British Prime Minister’s criticism, a social media post from the band doubled down on Mo Chara’s comments on Britain’s links to Israel, as well as criticising Starmer’s leadership of Labour.
“Fuck Keir Starmer,” they wrote.
“A man who couldn’t get us cancelled from Glasto.
“A man who couldn’t beat us in court.
“A man who has destroyed the Labour Party.
“A man whose government supports war criminals in Israel with weapons and intelligence.”
Labour faltering
According to Politico, Labour has seen its popularity drop from 45 per cent two months before winning the July 2024 General Election to 18 per cent this week.
It currently trails Reform, who are on 26 per cent, and is only slightly ahead of the Tories (17 per cent) and the Green Party (16 per cent).
Labour was accused of purging the party of left-wing candidates in the run-up to the 2024 election.
It blocked Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from standing in January’s Gorton and Denton by-election in the region, losing the seat it had won comfortably in 2024 to the Greens’ Hannah Spencer.
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