Pepsi, Diageo Pull Sponsorship from Wireless Festival
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- Pepsi announced it will withdraw its sponsorship of the Wireless music festival after criticism of Kanye West’s booking.
- Diageo said it will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless festival, informing organizers of its concerns.
- Keir Starmer condemned the festival’s decision to book Kanye West, calling his antisemitic remarks “abhorrent” and urging a safe environment for Jewish people.
- Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has the authority to direct that Kanye West be excluded from the UK under character‑based immigration rules.
- Jewish Leadership Council denounced the festival for booking West, describing the organizers’ conduct as “deeply irresponsible.”
- Kanye West has not yet applied for a UK visa and could be blocked under powers that allow denial of entry for those deemed not conducive to the public good.
- Ed Davey called for a ban on West’s entry, labeling the planned appearance as “extremely serious.”
Why it matters: The withdrawal strips the Wireless festival of two major brand backers, jeopardising its financing and potentially cancelling the July shows, while the sponsors distance themselves from the controversy and mitigate reputational risk amid heightened antisemitism concerns and pressure from Jewish groups.
