Senior Tory slams BBC due diligence after JN reveals singer called for IDF deaths before

Conservative shadow culture secretary Stuart Andrew has slammed the BBC’s “extraordinary” failure to carry out proper due diligence on the band Bobby Vylan ahead of Glastonbury after Jewish News revealed a previous earlier calls for the death of “every single IDF soldier” at a concert in May.

Speaking in the Commons, Andrew said that new information had come to light showing the lead singer Bob Vylan had “spouted equally vile rhetoric at another concert just a few weeks ago.”

Jewish News revealed on Wednesday how Vylan had shouted to the audience at a concert at Alexandra Palace on May 28th shouting: “Death to every single IDF soldier out there, as an agent of terror for Israel. Death To The IDF.”Bob Vylan called for ‘death to every IDF soldier’ at gig ONE MONTH before Glastonbury

Police have subsequently confirmed that they are investigating both this performance, and the subsequent concert at Glastonbury last Saturday, where Vylan led the audience in a chant of “Death, death, death to the IDF.”

On Thursday Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy also said she has heard  back from the BBC but was “not satisfied with the response”.

She added:” I have received a reply to the very many questions that were raised by colleagues on all sides.

“I’m not satisfied with that, and I have gone back to the BBC leadership to ask for further information, in particular, as he mentioned, about the failure to pull the live feed, about the due diligence that was done prior to deciding to screen this act, and also about the level of senior oversight that took place in the BBC during the Glastonbury weekend.

“I think the BBC leadership will hear and have heard the strength of feeling in this House about this, and I expect further answers to be forthcoming imminently.”