Latitude, Download and Isle of Wight festivals no longer sponsored by Barclays
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Barclays will no longer sponsor Latitude, Download or Isle of Wight festivals after musicians and comedians dropped out in protest over the bank’s ties to the Israel-Hamas war.
A spokesperson for Barclays told Sky News: “Barclays was asked and has agreed to suspend participation in the remaining Live Nation festivals in 2024”.
Live Nation festivals across the rest of this year also include Download and the Isle of Wight.
Latitude Festival told Sky News: “Following discussion with artists, we have agreed with Barclays that they will step back from sponsorship of Latitude Festival”.
Palestine Action, a group whose members attacked 20 of the bank branches across England and Scotland last week, has accused Barclays of having financial interests in both Israel’s weapons trade and fossil fuels.
Barclays statement went on: “The protestors’ agenda is to have Barclays debank defence companies which is a sector we remain committed to as an essential part of keeping this country and our allies safe.
“They have resorted to intimidating our staff, repeated vandalism of our branches and online harassment. The only thing that this small group of activists will achieve is to weaken essential support for cultural events enjoyed by millions.
“It is time that leaders across politics, business, academia and the arts stand united against this.”
Barclays has said while it provides financial services to “public companies that supply defence products to NATO and its allies” it does not directly invest in the firms.
Comedians Joanne McNally, Sophie Duker, Grace Campbell, and Alexandra Haddow all announced they would be boycotting Latitude Festival last week.
Musicians including CMAT, Pillow Queens, Mui Zyu, and Georgia Ruth had also pulled out of the event.
Download Festival, which comes to Donington Park, Leicestershire this weekend, had seen acts including Pest Control, Scowl, Speed and Zulu pull out, also over the festival’s sponsorship.
Taskmaster star McNally, who had been set to close the Latitude Festival wrote in an Instagram story last week: “I’m getting messages today about me performing at Latitude when it’s being sponsored by Barclays.
“I’m not longer doing Latitude. I was due to close the comedy tent on the Sunday night, but I pulled out last week.
“I’m on the old artwork but I haven’t been listed on the site since I pulled out a week ago.”
Duker had shared a photo of her at a previous Latitude Festival, and confirmed she would be boycotting the event.
She wrote: “I am committed to minimising my complicity in what I consider to be a pattern of abhorrent, unlawful violence”.
The 34-year-old comedian also said her pro-Palestinian stance “has gained me violent abuse, targeted pile-ons and death threats”.
Fellow comedian Grace Campbell, who is the daughter of Sir Tony Blair’s former spokesman Alastair Campbell, shared Duker’s post in an Instagram story, announcing she was also pulling out of the festival.
Meanwhile, comedian Alexandra Haddow said she too would no longer appear at Latitude, writing on Instagram: “I can’t in good conscience take the fee.”
In a post shared on her Instagram account last week, Irish singer-songwriter CMAT said she would boycott Latitude, writing: “I will not allow my precious work, my music, which I love so much, to get into bed with violence.”
In response to the exodus of acts, Barclays previously defended its position, saying it recognised “the profound human suffering” caused by the Israel-Hamas war.
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“We provide vital financial services to US, UK, and European public companies that supply defence products to NATO and its allies,” it said in a statement.
“Barclays does not directly invest in these companies. The defence sector is fundamental to our national security and the UK government has been clear that supporting defence companies is compatible with ESG considerations.
“Decisions on the implementation of arms embargos to other nations are the job of respective elected governments.”
Barclays has confirmed that despite no longer being associated with the festivals, Barclays customers with tickets would not be affected and their tickets would remain valid.
Last month, more than 100 acts dropped out of The Great Escape Festival in Brighton and Hove due to its ties to Barclays.
The Isle of Wight Festival will be held in Seaclose Park, Newport, between 20 – 23 June, headlined by The Prodigy, Pet Shop Boys and Green Day.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend Latitude Festival at Henham Park in Suffolk, held from the 25-29 July.
