‘Take responsibility!’ Husband of murdered MP lashes out at Kneecap after vile ‘kill your MP’ remark
Brendan Cox, husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, has called on Belfast rap trio Kneecap to “take responsibility” rather than “make excuses” following a controversial video where a member appears to say “kill your local MP”.
Cox criticised the group’s apology after footage emerged from a November 2023 gig that has sparked widespread condemnation and an investigation by counter-terrorism police.
Speaking on GB News, Cox said: “When I was first contacted about this, I assumed it was taken out of context or it was a poor joke.”
“I checked the video but it clearly isn’t. It’s a clear and pretty unequivocal incitement to violence.”
The footage appears to show one member of the West Belfast group saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”
Cox was critical of the band’s response, stating: “If the band feels this is something they said in the heat of the moment and they are deeply apologetic – their apology needs to be better.”
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He dismissed suggestions that the controversy was manufactured, adding: “The idea this is an establishment hit job is not commensurate with what they have said. They need to take responsibility for what they have said.”
Cox explained that while Kneecap’s “identity and brand is about radicalism and being an angry voice,” there are limits to acceptable expression.
“That’s entirely fair enough, but what they can’t do is cross the line and incite violence,” he said.
He suggested the band lacked the “sophistication to pull it off” and had gone “too far” in their comments.
“They need to think more deeply about how they ended up in this situation. This is not something said by accident.”
Counter-terrorism police are investigating footage from two gigs involving the rap trio, including one where a band member appears to shout “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”.
The controversy has drawn criticism from political leaders, with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemning the comments in “the strongest possible terms”.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has called on the band to “urgently clarify” their position, questioning whether they support Hamas and Hezbollah.
Katie Amess, daughter of Conservative MP David Amess who was stabbed to death in 2021, has also called on Kneecap to apologise.
“This isn’t a political perspective just from us, when you can see that there’s a collective political will in London and Dublin calling out, not only the need for them to clarify or apologise,” she said.
She added: “From my perspective, these gentlemen don’t need to be on a stage, they need to be in a courtroom.”