Chief rabbi attacks BBC for airing 'vile Jew hate' at Glastonbury

29 minutes ago Share Save Emma Saunders Culture reporter Share Save

PA Media Sir Ephraim Mirvis made his comments after a live broadcast of Bob Vylan's at Glastonbury festival went out on the BBC

The UK's chief rabbi has strongly criticised "the airing of vile Jew-hate at Glastonbury" after a live broadcast of Bob Vylan's performance at the festival went out on the BBC, during which the band's singer led the crowd in chants of "death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]". Writing on X, Sir Ephraim Mirvis wrote: "This is a time of national shame. The airing of vile Jew-hatred at Glastonbury and the BBC's belated and mishandled response, brings confidence in our national broadcaster's ability to treat antisemitism seriously to a new low. "It should trouble all decent people that now, one need only couch their outright incitement to violence and hatred as edgy political commentary, for ordinary people to not only fail to see it for what it is, but also to cheer it, chant it and celebrate it. Toxic Jew-hatred is a threat to our entire society." Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy expressed concern over the situation, saying about the BBC: "When there is one editorial failure, it is something that must be gripped; where there are several, it becomes a problem of leadership."

Hindsight and regret

She added: "This government supports the BBC... that is why we are so disappointed that this has happened and have been so exasperated with the lack of account from the leadership not just about this, but about a previous Gaza documentary and a number of other issues. "The BBC is one of the most important institutions in our country and that is why it is held to the highest of standards." BBC director general Tim Davie was at Glastonbury for a few hours on the day of Bob Vylan's performance. The corporation said he was "informed of the incident and at that point he was clear it should not feature in any other Glastonbury coverage". Earlier on Monday, the BBC said: "The team were dealing with a live situation but with hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen." The corporation said it would "look at our guidance around live events so we can be sure teams are clear on when it is acceptable to keep output on air", and labelled remarks made during the performance antisemitic. The BBC's editorial guidelines state that editors should "assess the risk of a problem arising in our live output", ranging from a local radio phone-in to high-profile events like music festivals or sporting fixtures, or breaking news or stories of a sensitive nature, such as a siege. Bob Vylan's singer Pascal Robinson-Foster, who performs under the name Bobby Vylan, also referenced a record label boss he used to work for during their set. "He would speak very strongly about his support for Israel… treading on that line, do you know what I mean? He was treading that line. And then this letter, or this list of names came out recently of people trying to stop our mates Kneecap from performing here today. "Who do I see on that list of names but that bald-headed [expletive] I used to work for. "We've done it all, all right? From working in bars to working for [expletive] Zionists." The band posted on Instagram on Monday, saying: "We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. "We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine." They said that "we, like those in the spotlight before us, are not the story. We are a distraction from the story, and whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction."

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A criminal investigation was launched on 30 June over performances by both Bob Vylan and Irish-language rap trio Kneecap at Glastonbury on Saturday, Avon and Somerset Police have said. They have not specified which part of Bob Vylan's or Kneecap's set could be subject to the criminal investigation. The force said it had appointed a senior detective to investigate whether comments made by either act amounted to a criminal offence after reviewing footage. A statement added: "This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our enquiries are at an early stage." Both members of Bob Vylan - who were due to embark on a tour of America later this year - have also had their US visas revoked, it is understood. Ms Nandy also told MPs that she immediately called the BBC's director general after the set was broadcast. She said outstanding questions remain, including why the feed "wasn't immediately cut", why it was broadcast live "given the concerns regarding other acts in the weeks preceding the festival" and what due diligence had been done ahead of deciding to put Bob Vylan on TV. "When the rights and safety of people and communities are at risk, and when the national broadcaster fails to uphold its own standards, we will intervene," she added, and said she will continue to speak to the BBC in the coming days.

'Matter of urgency'

Ofcom also issued a statement on the BBC's coverage, saying: "We are very concerned about the live stream of this performance, and the BBC clearly has questions to answer. We have been speaking to the BBC over the weekend and we are obtaining further information as a matter of urgency, including what procedures were in place to ensure compliance with its own editorial guidelines." As the UK's communications regulator, Ofcom's job includes regulating the BBC's editorial standards and complaints, and working to protect fair and effective competition. Ofcom's own broadcast rules include protecting members of the public from harmful and/or offensive material. Part of their code also covers regulating material that is likely to incite crime or disorder, reflecting the watchdog's duty to prohibit the broadcast of this type of programming.

Oasis and me: How the Gallaghers changed lives

7 hours ago Share Save Lauren Hirst BBC News Share Save

Anthony Lanni As a teen, Anthony Lanni knocked on Liam Gallagher's door and was rewarded with a surprise

Since they burst into the public eye more than three decades ago, Oasis have been central to their fans' lives. From love stories to heartache, from teenage high-jinx to family drama, from being young, free and reckless to getting older and facing life's challenges, the music made by Liam and Noel Gallagher has been the soundtrack of many lives. Ahead of the band's reunion shows, some of those fans have shared the stories of how Oasis have impacted their lives with an exclusive series presented by Noel's daughter Anaïs Gallagher for BBC Sounds.

'Liam gave me a platinum disc'

In 1996, teenage Oasis superfans Anthony Lanni and Paul Hannington travelled from Stevenage to London with one aim - to meet their hero Liam Gallagher. Anthony, who is now 43, said what followed was an afternoon beyond their wildest dreams. "I was just 15 when this happened," he said. "There wasn't much to do so we just figured let's go on this random quest to London and see if we can go and meet him."

Getty Images The teenagers met Liam in the year the band released their third album, Be Here Now

The pair had tracked down Liam's home address, but on arrival, their courage was tested as there was no indication the singer would be leaving his house. After waiting outside for about 15 minutes, Paul suggested to Anthony that he should knock on the front door. "I was just this cheeky chappy and just thought 'go on then, why not?'," he said. The response the pair received was typically Gallagher-esque. "To say he wasn't happy puts it mildly. "I remember him saying 'you don't just come and knock on my door alright'."

Anthony said he could not believe it when Liam handed over a platinum disc

The door then slammed in the teenagers' faces, leaving them unsure what to do next. But 10 minutes later, the door opened again. "He sort of apologised for being a bit rude and started chatting to us," Paul said. Regaining their wits and warming to the unexpected interaction, Anthony spotted a number of platinum discs on the wall behind Liam and decided to ask for one. "He handed [one of them] to me," he said. "He said, and I'll never forget these words, 'if you don't ask, you don't get'. "He said I can keep it. "It's giving me goosebumps just talking about it. I was in sheer disbelief."

Getty Images Anthony met Liam at the height of the band's initial rise, a few months after they played huge shows at Knebworth

Paul said he could not believe what his friend had achieved in that moment. "I felt a bit left out and I said 'what can I have?'," he said. "I was just joking really and he reached out and picked up a hole punch off the desk beside the front door and said 'how about that? You can have this'. "I looked at it and I thought 'yeah – I'll take that'."

'Oasis brought my mum back to me'

As a teenager, Karen Kelly would listen to Oasis on repeat, blasting the songs from her bedroom in New Ross, County Wexford in Ireland. However, as much as she loved them, the volume was not as warmly appreciated by her mum Helen, who would bang on the ceiling with a brush telling her to turn the music down. "She said she liked some of their songs," she said. "She couldn't help it, as that's all that was coming out of my house. "But when Don't Look Back in Anger came out, I used to catch her in the kitchen with the piano at the start and she would be tapping the toe and the head would be going."

Karen Kelly Karen said her mum's rendition of Don't Look Back In Anger left her speechless

Years later, she started to notice her mother was struggling with her memory, before she was eventually diagnosed with dementia. "We've got to the stage where she doesn't know who I am at the moment," she said. "It's sad because the mother I knew isn't there any more. "That's how bad it's gotten. It's hard. "It's true what they say with dementia. You lose them twice."

Getty Images Don't Look Back In Anger was the first Oasis single to feature Noel Gallagher on lead vocals

One day, her father called to say her mother was having a bad day. She decided to take her on a drive to do "car karaoke" and Don't Look Back in Anger came on. "I looked over and the head was going," she said. "The next minute she started singing. "My mouth was open."

Introducing... Mad For Oasis, a journey through the band's impact on fans

She said with tears flooding down her face, she joined in, singing in unison. "She sang every word," she said. "She hasn't a clue who I am, doesn't know my name from Adam but she knows Don't Look Back in Anger, which I think is magical." She said it was a moment she would cherish forever. "To have a few minutes where the two of you just connect through a song... I think it's just about the most amazing thing ever."

'Channelling Liam helped me come out'

Comedian Susie McCabe, 45, discovered Oasis through her older brother's record collection. "I'm a working class little lesbian from the east end of Glasgow who tells jokes for a living and absolutely adores all things Oasis," she said. "I will never forget the first time I heard 'Definitely Maybe'. "I had found my band. "Just from them opening chords, I was absolutely hooked. "It was music for me and it was music for my generation."

Susie McCabe Susie said Liam gave her the confidence to "strut" into her home and tell her family

At 17 years old, she said she channelled the swagger of Liam Gallagher to share her sexuality with her family. "His influence gave me the chance to be me," she said. "At this point in time, I'm pretty much aware of what my sexuality is going to be – that's a tough time. "But suddenly you could listen to that music and you could have that swagger and you could have that strut. "You knew at some point you were gonna need to strut into your family home and break the news to your family that you're gay."

Susie said Liam's confidence "gave you permission to be you"

She said listening to Oasis's music made her feel like there were no barriers. "What Liam gave us was a belief that people like us could actually make it," she said. "That guy gave you permission to be you. "That's probably one of the most important thing he could have ever have done for a generation."

'I wasn't going to be the only Oasis fool'

Lily Dimelow could not believe her luck when her father Dean Hughes managed to book Oasis to play at their pub in North Wales. She had been a huge fan since she first heard one of their songs during a karaoke session when she was nine. "It was Don't Look Back In Anger," she said. "My cousin Joey sung it. "It was just the fact the whole crowd got up to sing it with him. It was like everyone was just connected in the building." So when her father revealed the pub's latest booking, she said she was "absolutely buzzing".

Lily Dimelow Dean said fooling younger family members into thinking they had seen Oasis was now a "tradition"

Unbeknown to her though, things were not quite as they seemed. "I remember booking the Oasis tribute," Dean said. "I told her it was Oasis [but] I didn't think she would believe me. "She sucked it up like a sponge. "As soon as they started, I just looked at Lily and her eyes lit up."

Lily, from Warrington in Cheshire, said it was an amazing night, but she did not have the nerve to approach the band. "I was really shy as a kid so I definitely wasn't going to go over and say anything to them especially after seeing some of the interviews I'd watched," she said. The then-11-year-old was elated and could not wait to go to school to tell her friends. She said that three years later, the penny dropped when she went to watch an Oasis tribute band. "I sent a video to my dad and he was like 'that's the one we had on in the pub, I think'," she said.

Reuters Oasis have had several line-up changes, making recognising them a little more difficult for fans

She said that rather than trying to get even with Dean, she decided to pass the prank along and trick her younger siblings at a family festival years later. "I wasn't going to be the only one who was made a fool of so I had to pass it on," she said. She told her siblings the real Oasis were in fact on stage. "It's nice that she's carrying it on," Dean said. "It's becoming a bit of a family tradition. "I can't wait for her to get shouted at when they find out."

Bella Culley tells court she was 'tortured'

44 minutes ago Share Save Tom Burgess BBC News, North East and Cumbria Rayhan Demytrie Caucasus correspondent Reporting from Tbilisi, Georgia Share Save

Bella Culley Bella Culley's family is being supported by the Foreign Office

A British teenager held in prison in Georgia was "tortured" into smuggling drugs, she told a pre-trial hearing as she was refused bail. Bella Culley, 19, from Billingham, Teesside, appeared at Tbilisi City Court and pleaded not guilty to charges of possession and trafficking a large amount of illegal drugs. Mr Malkhaz Salakaia, representing Miss Culley, said she had been threatened with a hot iron to coerce her into travelling with the suitcase filled with drugs. Miss Culley stood in front of the judge in the courtroom and showed her right wrist which had a scar on it.

Speaking in court, the 19-year-old said: "I did not want to do this. I was forced to do this through torture. "I just wanted to travel. I am a good person. I am a student at university. I am a clean person. I don't do drugs."

'18 weeks pregnant'

Mr Salakaia, who does not speak English and specialises in juvenile law, said the teenager was not aware of what was in her suitcase. He also told the court that Miss Culley was 18 weeks pregnant. Miss Culley had been detained for 52 days before trial while the prosecution investigated where the 12kg (26lbs) of marijuana and 2kg (4.4lbs) of hashish found in a travel bag came from, and whether she was planning on handing it over to someone else. Judge Lela Kalichenko remanded her into custody until the next court hearing scheduled for 10 July. Miss Culley's father, aunt and grandfather were all in attendance at the small courtroom in Tbilisi.

Rayhan Demytrie Bella Culley was detained in prison number 5, in the city of Rustavi

Georgian Police said officers had seized marijuana and the narcotic drug hashish in a travel bag at Tbilisi International Airport. The BBC understands Miss Culley arrived in Tbilisi on a flight from Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, on 10 May. The BBC has been told the British Embassy has advised the teenager's family not to speak to the press. A Georgian police spokesperson said the arrest was the result of a joint operation between multiple departments and, if she was found guilty, Miss Culley could face up to 20 years in jail or life imprisonment.

Three killed in Ukrainian drone attack on central Russia

35 minutes ago Share Save Laura Gozzi BBC News Share Save

t.me/russianocontext A video posted on social media and verified by the BBC showed an explosion on the roof of a factory building

Three people have been killed and 35 taken to hospital following an attack by Ukraine on a factory in the city of Izhevsk - more than 1,000km (620 miles) from the border, Russian authorities say. Of those injured ten had suffered serious injuries, the governor of Udmurtia Aleksandr Bechalov said, adding he had briefed President Vladimir Putin on the attack. Drones reportedly targeted the Kupol Electromechanical Plant - a military factory which is said to produce Tor surface-to-air missile systems and radar stations. The plant also specialises in the production of Osa air defence systems and has developed drones, according to Ukrainian media.

An Ukrainian official confirmed that two long-range drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck the Kupol plant from a distance of around 1,300 km (807 miles). "Each such special operation reduces the enemy's offensive potential, disrupts military production chains and demonstrates that even deep in Russia's rear, there are no safe zones for its military infrastructure," the source said in comments reported by Ukrainian media. A video posted on social media and verified by the BBC showed an explosion on the roof of a building, followed by a large plume of black smoke rising over a factory-type chimney. Russia's civil aviation regulator Rosaviatsia imposed restrictions on operations at Izhevsk airport, before lifting them a few hours later.

American third seed Jessica Pegula said her first-round Wimbledon exit was her "worst result of the year" as she became the highest seed to fall at the tournament so far.

Pegula was below par in a 6-2 6-3 defeat by Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ranked 113 places below her at 116 in the world.

The 31-year-old had heavy strapping on her right knee but said that did not bother her as she was dismantled in just 58 minutes on court two.

"This is definitely probably the worst result I've had all year," she said.

"I've been winning lots of matches. It's just all about it having to come together for two weeks. Sometimes it doesn't quite all align when you need it to."

Pegula, fresh from beating Iga Swiatek to win the title at Bad Homburg in Germany last week, was predicted to go far at Wimbledon.

But while she has long lingered around the world's top 10, consistent progress at Grand Slam level continues to elude her.

She has only once gone beyond the quarter-final stage of a major - at last year's US Open where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

Since then, Pegula has gone out before the last eight in all three Grand Slam tournaments.

But this marks her worst performance at a major since the 2020 French Open.

"I haven't lost first round of a Slam in a very long time, so that sucks," she said.

"I used to kind of have trouble getting past the first round for a while. I remember I had a really tough match and I just told myself, I'm done losing first round, I'm not losing first round.

"It's disappointing. I don't know how else to put it. I'm upset that I wasn't able to turn anything around."

Cocciaretto had faced Pegula at SW19 before, a 6-4 6-0 defeat at the 2023 tournament.

But an error-strewn performance from the world number three allowed Cocciaretto, 24, to take advantage and secure her second career win over a top-10 player.

Things unravelled quickly as Pegula was broken in the third game of the opening set on another hot day at the Championships.

The double break swiftly followed and Cocciaretto wrapped up the opening set in just 25 minutes.

The second followed a similar pattern with Pegula losing her serve in the seventh game and letting out a cry of frustration before bending over her racquet in exasperation as she prepared to serve to stay in the match.

But she was unable to do so as a double fault and two long forehands gave Cocciaretto three match points - and she took the first.

Pegula made 24 unforced errors and struggled on serve. She hit five winners and was unable to conjure a single break point throughout the match.