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.
WIRELESS 2023—CEO Festival Republic (Melvin Benn, left) with Haringey Council Leader (Peray Ahmet, right). Partners in Grime? Credit: Cllr. Ahmet's Twitter—Photo credit: probably a photographer working for council PR
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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?
Tags for Forum Posts: wireless
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton
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= Don't ask me, I just work here?
A humorous English phrase used to express that one does not have enough knowledge of or experience with the issue being discussed to answer the question.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter
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BYSTANDING and the deafening silence ~
Kier Starmer may not be one, but is not current Haringey Council Labour Leader Peray Ahmet a bystander … and almost invisible due to her silence?
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Permalink Reply by Simon
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I would argue that the Haringey Labour Leader started this or at best (from her standpoint) gave a strong signal to the promoters that they can do what they please in our park. From what I have seen I don’t think the response will not come on the form of an apology.
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THE Major Event policy began in 2014 under Haringey Council Leader Clare Kober. It has since been Labour Group policy.
The Licensing Authority is Haringey Council and is objective and independent when it does not involve the financial interests of their employer. The Licence for their customer is a bit like a driving licence: open ended or, good til revoked.
There is can be no meaningful enforcement while the Department has such a conflict of interest.
The Terms & Conditions of a particular park-exploitation period are contained in the secret "Land Use Agreement".
The council has claimed—fatuously—they have no control over artists, but this begs a host of other questions. Such as, do they any say in the contract for the hire of the park … or are their negotiators feeble? Or is there some other factor at play?
No local Labour leader has been more cosy or closely associated with Festival Republic and park exploitation than the current council leader, who is on record as defending and endorsing Grime.
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Permalink Reply by Gordon T
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"Wireless Festival boss defends Kanye West appearance
The managing director of Wireless Festival has defended the decision to choose Kanye West as a headliner, encouraging people to offer the rapper "forgiveness".
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THE Festival Republic MD's appeal for forgiveness for his booking might be more credible, if there were not huge amounts of cash at stake.
The council leader's chum is UK promoter of the world's most rapacious live-music monopoly.
Not a charity, a Priest or moral authority.
The "second chance" sought by the promoter for his Nazi booking appears less as an attempt at preserving an artist's sanity and more as a cynical chance to preserve Event profits.
The artist has both apologised for his anti-semitic opinions … and later recanted his apology. It's not a one off.
As the Shadow home secretary said, the musician's previous comments as "not a one-off lapse, but a pattern of behaviour that has caused real offence and distress to Jewish communities".
The booking won't have been made without knowing the history of antisemitism.
The notoriety is likely to have been an added bonus. However it is proving a booking too far, for Live Nation and for Haringey Council's current leader, Peray Ahmet.
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I listened to Benn’s apology’ which was transparently more about saving money but he also let something very interesting slip . No doubt in a fit of pique he said that Pepsi had signed off on West’s appearance. If Benn signed things off with Pepsi it’s looking more likely that he afforded his Haringey Councillor pals a similar courtesy. They should at least be forced to respond. This is a matter of public interest and journalists should be encouraged to join the dots.
I also find this reliance on a bipolar condition potentially insulting to all the other people who live with that condition - I wonder what Bipolar Uk will be thinking.
I’m guessing Paray Ahmet is still keeping silent.
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I also heard Wes Streeting’s comments give a strong signal that the government will take action - politicians don’t go into interviews without a set of lines to take agreed in advance.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson
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All the sponsors names have disappeared the Wireless website.
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DOES MD Melvin Benn really want to wait until the Government takes action?
Is it not only a matter of time before his big booking is cancelled?
Mr Benn's appealing for forgiveness and second chances might at other times be seen as caring and sensitive. In the current circumstances, could it be any more self-serving?
Currently, the local Labour leader's good buddy intends to plough on with three days' worth of headlining by the infamous rapper.
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Bipolar U.K. have been extraordinarily diplomatic in their response - but you can read between the lines.
https://www.bipolaruk.org/bipolarnews/bipolar-uk-response-kanye-wes...
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