Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
WIRELESS in Finsbury Park: the Labour Council, their customer Live Nation and their fascist-rapper booking
GUARDIAN: Sadiq Khan and Jewish Leadership Council condemn Wireless festival ...
The Labour Council's policy of hiring out public parks has led to another controversial booking in Finsbury Park by their global, prosecuted-monopolist customer, Live Nation.
Council Leader Peray Ahmet has in the past defended and endorsed Grime as representing "working class struggle".
Grime is also associated with violence, misogyny and homophobia. Meanwhile rapper Kanye West is associated with fascism and anti-semitism.
Jobs in the council's Events Team depend on the Live Nation relationship. The council's busy PR team continue to promote Finsbury Park as a summer gig venue as part of the Borough's cultural offer.
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Update: at 20:30 hours, 1 April 2026
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has added his voice to the disgust already voiced and the Guardian's headline now reflects that. A few treat this as a joke. Here is what Mayor Khan had to say:
In a press statement on Wednesday 1 April, a spokesperson for London mayor Sadiq Khan said: “We are clear that the past comments and actions of this artist are offensive and wrong, and are simply not reflective of London’s values. This was a decision taken by the festival organizers and not one that City Hall is involved in.”
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Here are some sample questions for journalists or the council Opposition, to ask of Peray Ahmet, Leader of Haringey Council and currently seeking re-election in Noel Park Ward:
- When did the council leader first learn of the Kanye West booking?
- Was the urgency to bind the next two council Administrations before the "purdah" pre-election period, due to Cllr Ahmet's foreknowledge that Kanye West was likely to headline for three nights at Wireless?
- The council leader enjoys a close, cordial relationship with the Festival Republic promoter. If there was no foreknowledge of the booking, then why not? Was this headliner booking concealed from her?
- Was council leader Ahmet aware that the headliner in our public park was expelled from Australia?
- How much concern—if any—does leader Ahmet feel about the promotion of Nazi values, Hitler admiration, swastika display; anti-semitism, misogyny and homophobia?
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#LabourValues? #LabourParty? #Values?
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Tags for Forum Posts: Antisemite, Department of Justice, Emily Arkell, Events Team, Festival Republic, Finsbury Park, Grime, Haringey Council, Hitler, Kanye West, More…
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter
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EXPRESSIONS of concern
Simon, thanks for the heads-up. I agree with all your points.
An item on the excellent BBC World Service suggests that the Kanye West headliner-booking in Haringey Council-controlled Finsbury Park is considered of global significance. And now, known around the world.
When Haringey Council mucks up, a tactic sometimes used by PR and council apologists, is distraction.
However it hard to distract from something with international implications, with comment potentially from the United Nations.
The municipal Press Team may have put out a release expressing Haringey helplessness or council powerlessness. It's a tricky task, given the 10-year cosiness between Cllr Ahmet, her Events Team and Live Nation subsidiary, Festival Republic.
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LINK – a customised Google advanced search
Two relevant persons who have not expressed concern about the Nazi-booking are (i) Peray Ahmet, Haringey Council Leader (and Grime-music fan) and (ii) the Cabinet Member for Culture & Parks, Cllr Emily Arkell.
The no-comment by the key decision-makers may well be on the advice of the council's customer Live Nation, or the council PR Team, their Events Team or their legal service.
However, a quick G-search shows that the deep concern of the UK Prime Minister's has been widely reported—link above.
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#antitrust #antisemite #antisemitism #AttorneyGeneral #Democrat #FederalCase #JusticeDepartment #Monopoly #Republicans #RobberBarons #ToddBlanche #USDepartmentOfJustice
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Permalink Reply by Simon
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Thanks for the feedback I’m sure now is the time to to put the pressure on. Starmer will be furious at this and he and his ministers need to know the Council leadership is responsible.
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SIMON, yes. The Labour Prime Minister is likely to be furious for several reasons.
- National & international criticism or attention to the booking of a Nazi
- The Labour Major of London already expressed his anger at the booking
- Mayor Sadiq Khan awarded Haringey "London Borough of Culture 2027"
- The Labour Party is already bracing itself for reversals in UK local elections on 7 May
- Haringey Labour election candidates may be unhappy with the unhelpfullness of the latest booking under the council's Major Events policy
- The Labour Council—which controls Finsbury Park—has allowed a stage and provided a global platform for the promotion of one of the world's most notorious Nazis and anti-semites
- The silence and lack of action by the current council leader, Peray Ahmet
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Permalink Reply by Gordon T
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Pepsi, the main sponsor of Wireless Festival under the branding “Pepsi presents Wireless,” withdrew its support after the festival booked West, also known as Ye, as headliner for three nights in July at Finsbury Park, north London.
Source: https://www.itv.com/news/2026-04-04/keir-starmer-blasts-deeply-conc...
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GORDON, thanks for the ITV link; also on SKY.
The Pepsi sponsorship may not be worth much in absolute cash terms, but the symbolism of its withdrawal has to be significant.
Live Nation's toxic booking is surely now on a trajectory to a complete cancellation.
A trajectory that may be co-terminus with NASA's current rendezvous with the Moon. And with no thanks to current Council Leader Peray Ahmet or to her (Finsbury Park) Events Team.
What most of the media has missed—massively—is any meaningful connection with Haringey Council and its leadership.
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Good news - I understand that PayPal also sponsors the event i was about to close down that account - might give it 24 hours.
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PAYPAL will not want to be seen as isolated as a big sponsor of the Nazi booking (on Labour Council-controlled Finsbury Park).
They sponsor the Pepsi MAX presents Wireless Festival and serve as the official payment partner for the event. The partnership facilitates an exclusive PayPal Presale for tickets, which is a key feature of the festival's promotion.
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#RockStar #Budweiser #CaptainMorgan #JonnieWalker #drip #BEATBOX #Biggreencoach
#PayPal #PayPal #PayPal #PayPal #PayPal #PayPal #PayPal #PayPal #PayPal #PayPal
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson
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As far as I can see they are the main Wireless sponsors. Their withdrawal will be a huge financial blow.
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Sadiq Khan has said 'nuffin' to do with me, guv', absolutely correctly and with good reason - see below.
In Greater London Council days Finsbury Park was a GLC asset - with its abolition the assets were distributed, which is why it fell to Haringey to fund and manage the park. There may well be a perception outside London and the UK that such a large event must be the Mayor's responsibility or over which he has some say. Not so.
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Finsbury Park is an asset that serves a much larger area than one Borough and should never been left to one council. This Council has used the park as a cash cow. Now is the time to have a broader governance.
I’ve not seen a condemnation from the Greens - perhaps I’ve missed it.
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