Pepsi has said it is withdrawing as main sponsor of the Wireless Festival in London in the coming summer after reports that Kanye West is to headline the three-day festival.
Now referred to as Ye, the US rapper has attracted far-ranging criticism for antisemitic comments he uttered in recent years and for which he issued an apology in January.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated earlier that it was “deeply concerning” West was set to headline Wireless.
In comments first publicized by the Sun,Sir Keir noted that West had been booked “despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism”.
“Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears,” said the prime minister.
“Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe.”
West, 48, was announced as the headliner for all three days of the rap and R&B festival in north London in July.
The festival is marketed as Pepsi presents Wireless – the brand was the main sponsor.
Drinks giant Diageo has withdrawn its support for the festival “as it stands”. Two of its biggest brands, Johnnie Walker whisky and Captain Morgan rum, had been listed on the Wireless website as partners of the festival.
“We have informed the organisers of our concerns and as it stands, Diageo will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless festival,” a spokesperson for the company said.
As of Sunday evening, the festival website still showed Pepsi, Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan as partners. However, a section giving partner details appeared to have been taken offline, displaying instead an error message which read: “There’s nothing to see here.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said on Thursday that the government should ban West from entering the UK, arguing “we need to get tougher on antisemitism” and describing West’s planned appearance as “extremely serious”.
The Home Office has not yet received an application for West to enter the UK, BBC News understands.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told LBC: “We are seeing a huge increase in antisemitism all across the world and we need to do everything we can in order to stop the rise in hatred of Jewish people.
“That does mean not platforming people who make antisemitic statements or who put out anything that will incite violence and hatred towards Jews.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “Personally I wouldn’t buy a ticket.”
