Glastonbury is facing calls to ban the Irish nationalist band Kneecap from performing at this year’s festival after shocking footage emerged of them calling on supporters to ‘Kill your local MP’. The band has frequently courted controversy with their echoing of IRA messaging and support for Hezbollah and Hamas, however the new footage has sparked new levels of anger and backlash.

Video footage from a gig in November 2023 appeared to show one of the band’s member telling the audience: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.” Among those condemning the band’s comments is Katie Amess, the daughter of Sir David Amess MP who was brutally stabbed to death in his Southend constituency in 2021. She told the BBC that she was “absolutely gobsmacked at the stupidity of somebody or a group of people being in the public eye and saying such dangerous, violent rhetoric'.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman has also condemned the band’s comments as “completely unacceptable”, while the footage is now being assessed by counter-terrorism police.

Today a Labour MP went further, calling on Glastonbury to disinvite Kneecap from this year’s festival.

David Taylor, the MP for Hemel Hempstead, blasted the band and warned of “serious concern regarding the inclusion of the group… in the upcoming Glastonbury Festival line-up.”

In a letter to Sir Michael Eavis, the co-creator of the Somerset festival, Mr Taylor argued: “If these reports are accurate, the group’s actions and statements go beyond the realm of legitimate political expression and into the dangerous territory of inciting violence and promoting extremism, as well as severe antisemitism.”

“By hosting such a group, Glastonbury festival risks undermining its proud tradition of promoting peace, unity, and social responsibility.

“It would be deeply troubling to see the festival provide a platform to individuals who advocate hatred and violence, especially at a time when political and social tensions are already high.

“I urge you to reconsider the decision to host Kneecap and remove them from the list of performers.

“Doing so would send a clear message that Glastonbury stands firmly against violence, terrorism and political extremism in all its forms.”

The band has a history of also vocally supporting the terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah, with another video showing one of the band’s members shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” while displaying the latter’s flag.

Both organisations are banned in the UK and it is a crime to express support for either.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said Kneecap’s “anti-British hatred has no place in our society”.

“After the murder of Sir David Amess, this demands prosecution.”

Two MPs have been murdered in the last 10 years, Sir David Amess and Jo Cox in 2016 during the Brexit referendum campaign.

On Sunday, a Met Police spokesman said: 'We were made aware of a video on April 22, believed to be from an event in November 2024, and it has been referred to the counter terrorism internet referral unit for assessment and to determine whether any further police investigation may be required.

'We have also been made aware of another video believed to be from an event in November 2023.'

He also said the force 'are assessing both to determine whether further police investigation is required'.

Glastonbury was approached for comment.