Irish band Kneecap win discrimination case against UK government
Irish language rap group Kneecap have won their discrimination case against the UK government after former business secretary Kemi Badenoch refused them funding.
The trio – who have been criticised by former Tory government members for some of their lyrics – launched legal action, claiming the decision to withhold the grant discriminated against them on grounds of nationalist and political opinion.
After a brief hearing at Belfast High Court on Friday, it was agreed the government would pay the band £14,250 – the same amount the grant was for.
The group’s application to the Music Export Growth Scheme, which supports UK-registered artists in global markets, was initially accepted by the British Phonographic Industry.
But it was later refused by Mrs Badenoch – now Conservative leader – when she was business secretary, as the grant is overseen by the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
At the time, a government spokesperson said it fully supported freedom of speech, but that it was “hardly surprising” it did not want to hand out UK taxpayers’ money to those opposed to the United Kingdom.
The band said on Friday it would donate the money to two youth organisations in Belfast – one from a nationalist and one from a unionist area.
DJ Provai outside Belfast High Court, with the band’s lawyers. Pic: PA
‘They have tried to silence us’
Band member DJ Provai arrived at court in an old Land Rover styled to look like a police vehicle, which was bearing the Irish and Palestinian flags and blaring loud music.
He was wearing his usual Irish tricolour balaclava, which he removed to enter the court building.
Speaking after the hearing, DJ Provai, whose real name is JJ O’Dochartaigh, said the band’s motivation was “equality”.
“For us, this action was never about £14,250; it could have been 50p,” he said.
“This was an attack on artistic culture, an attack on the Good Friday Agreement itself and an attack on Kneecap and our way of expressing ourselves.”
Pic: PA
He added: “The former secretary of state Kemi Badenoch and her department acted unlawfully; this is now a fact.
“They have tried to silence us and they have failed.”
A statement from the Department for Business and Trade said the government’s priority is to “try and reduce costs and help protect the taxpayer from further expense”.
It said the government will not contest Kneecap’s challenge as it does not believe it is in the public interest.
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Who are Kneecap?
Formed in 2017 in west Belfast, Kneecap consists of three friends who perform under the stage names Mo Chara, Moglai Bap and DJ Provai.
The group have previously voiced views in favour of Irish unity and a particularly provocative poster for their 2019 “Farewell to the Union” tour angered the Conservative Party.
Their song Brits Out (which they told Sky News earlier this year is a tongue-in-cheek poke at government rule) also caused controversy, while their references to drug-taking led to them being banned from Irish public service broadcaster RTE.
But the band has enjoyed huge success both on stage and screen.
Earlier this year they released a biopic film, also called Kneecap, starring Irish-German actor and Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender.
The film was likened to Trainspotting, 8 Mile and 24 Hour Party People by critics and in January, it won the audience award at the Sundance Film Festival, an internationally recognised showcase for independent cinema.
It has also been named as Ireland’s official submission for the best international feature film shortlist at the 2025 Oscars.
Entertainment
MasterChef presenter John Torode says allegation he used racist language upheld in report
Entertainment
Gregg Wallace: Over half of allegations against MasterChef presenter substantiated, including one of unwanted physical contact
An investigation into Gregg Wallace’s “inappropriate behaviour” on MasterChef has found that more than half of the allegations against him have been substantiated, including one of “unwanted physical contact”.
MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK shared a summary of its report into historical allegations of misconduct against the 60-year-old presenter, carried out by independent law firm Lewis Silkin over seven months.
The report also said the number of sustained allegations made Wallace’s return to MasterChef “untenable”.
The investigation heard evidence from 78 witnesses, including 41 complainants.
There were 83 allegations against Wallace, and 45 of them were substantiated. All were related to MasterChef.
While the majority of the substantiated allegations related to inappropriate sexual language and humour, a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated.
One allegation of unwanted physical contact was substantiated.
Nearly all the allegations against Wallace were related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018, with just one substantiated allegation taking place post-2018.
Wallace and Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2014
Ahead of the publication of the summary, Wallace had said he had been “cleared of the most serious and sensational accusations” made against him.
Additionally, the report summary found that there were also 10 standalone allegations about other people between 2012 and 2018/2019, two of which were substantiated. Those people were not named in the summary.
The investigation found that complaints had previously been raised with the production company between 2005 and 2024.
Gregg Wallace on MasterChef. Pic: BBC/ Shine TV 2024
While the report flagged inadequate reporting procedures prior to 2016, when Endemol merged with Shine ahead of Banijay acquiring Endemol Shine in 2020, it said there were significant improvements to HR processes and training after 2016.
While the investigation said some formal action was taken by the BBC in 2017, it also noted the corporation held no information regarding concerns raised over Wallace centrally, resulting in issues being addressed as a first offence.
Sky News has tried to contact Gregg Wallace for contact today.
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