“That is an assault on creative tradition, an assault on the Good Friday Settlement and an assault on us.” Kneecap win Excessive Court docket permission to problem the UK authorities for blocking them from arts funding award

Kneecap have secured permission to problem the UK authorities in courtroom over Enterprise Secretary Kemi Badenoch’s resolution to dam them from receiving an arts funding award. 

The West Belfast rap trio, vocal advocates for the unification of Eire, had utilized for the UK’s Music Export Development Scheme (MEGS) grant, funded by the UK’s Division for Enterprise and Commerce and the Division for Tradition, Media & Sport, with assist from the British Phonographic Business, in an effort to offset prices of touring within the US. 

However in February, having had their software rubber-stamped, the grant was vetoed by intervention from the Conservative authorities, with Kemi Badenoch, Secretary of State for Enterprise and Commerce, telling the Irish Occasions newspaper, “We totally assist freedom of speech, nevertheless it’s hardly shocking that we don’t need to hand out UK taxpayers’ cash to people who oppose the UK itself.”

Kneecap vowed to problem the choice, stating “As soon as once more the British authorities is making an attempt to silence voices from West Belfast – as soon as once more it would fail!” Attorneys for the group declare that Badenoch’s motion discriminated towards the trio on grounds of non secular perception or political opinion, in addition to racial grounds of nationality and ethnic origin.