Ed Sheeran should 'cancel his tour' after Macklemore 'Free Palestine' row, insists activist Billy Bragg

Singer-songwriter and political activist Billy Bragg has claimed Ed Sheeran should cancel his tour to take a stand against billionaire stadium owners who are trying to dictate what can be said on stage.

All of Sheeran's remaining support acts have quit his LOOP tour after Macklemore was kicked off the show after voicing his support for Palestine during his set.

Standing in solidarity with Macklemore, 43, Finneas – Billie Eilish's brother – Sheeran's close friend Myles Smith, Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish band Lukas Graham, and Irish folk band Beoga have announced they are dropping out.

Weighing in, Billy, known for his Left-wing songs and views, suggested that the best thing that Sheeran could do now is cancel the remaining dates.

He told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme Sheeran shouldn't have booked Macklemore if he wanted to avoid politics, as the American rapper has been advocating for Palestine for over a year.

When asked by Sarah Montague what the response should be, the musician and activist said: 'Ed Sheeran should cancel his tour and say that billionaire owners of football stadiums in the United States of America shouldn't be allowed to say what people can and can't say on stage.'

'If he doesn't expect for there to be political speech on stage, he shouldn't book someone like Macklemore. Macklemore has been speaking out about Palestine and the war in Gaza for at least a year.'

Billy highlighted that the headlines Macklemore has created has only drawn more eyes to his cause, insisting Robert Kraft has 'shot himself in the foot'. 

He added: 'By speaking up and by getting Macklemore thrown off the tour, he's now allowed for millions and millions of people to hear Macklemore's message.'

When asked if he accepts that some people view the phrase 'Free Palestine' as antisemitic, Billy said: 'I accept that is how they hear those words, but those words don't have that intent. It must be possible to criticise the actions of the Netanyahu government, the IDF, and the state of Israel, without being constantly accused of antisemitism.

'Let me make it clear, if Macklemore had made an antisemitic comment, I would be in favour of him being banned from stadiums, but that's not what he said.'

When asked if people should boycott Sheeran if he does go ahead with the tour, Billy said: 'No, it's not as if Ed has said these things. He has unfortunately been caught between a rock and a hard place, and I have sympathy for that…

'Ed doesn't have a lot of scandal around what he does, he's known for playing his guitar, singing songs and he's great at that, but this kind of thing will stick to him. 

'Wherever he goes from now on, this is the thing that people will talk about around Ed Sheeran, what he did and what he didn't do.

'So, in the next 24 to 48 hours, he has to make a decision as to whether he's willing to live with the fact that he didn't take sides…'

Today, Sheeran's fans have vowed to support the star as they argued he 'shouldn't be blamed' after all the opening acts dropped out.

Macklemore was due to open for the singer at eight of the remaining ten shows on his tour in America, which continues on Friday in Philadelphia, but on Monday it was announced that he had been dropped. 

Breaking his silence amid the backlash, Sheeran insisted Macklemore coming off the tour was the 'promoter's decision', not his. 

He added his audience is often young people 'from different backgrounds' who do not expect his shows to be a political forum. 

Myles Smith has made sure to make his support for Sheeran clear as he highlighted that the recent events would not affect his relationship with the singer. 

He penned: 'Ed is not the victim here. Palestinians are. But let's not get confused: Ed is also not the perpetrator. 

'I need to be very clear about Ed. He is my friend. Not an industry friend. A real one. And there is no pressure, no trend, no headline and no comment section that will make me turn on him or hang him out to dry.' 

Replying to Smith's statement, many fans were also keen to support Sheeran as they said they to blame the star would be a 'scapegoat' for the bigger problem.

They wrote: 'I stand by you and I stand by Ed. He has done nothing wrong. The people condemning him have no idea what has gone on behind the scenes and even if they did they would likely still need to throw stones at him because that is easier than accepting what has happened was not his doing. Is anyone blaming the venue owners or promoters?' 

'This is beautifully worded, but most importantly, is a nuanced, genuine viewpoint. Compassion, empathy and understanding has no limit; to scapegoat Ed is to miss the point entirely.'

'Thank you for defending Ed. People are blaming him for this situation when he has done more for the world than they ever will.'

'It hurts my heart to see Ed being painted as the evil in all this, thankyou Myles for showing public support for your friend when others in the industry are as always suspiciously quiet when it come to voicing theirs, we love you & we love Ed.'

'The treatment of Ed Sheeran is absolutely disgusting. He has a right to keep his concerts non-political without being ostracized by people on the left. Ed Sheeran is a good decent man. One of the most sincere musicians around today. The world has gone crazy.'

'People will never grasp how much Ed has done to try and make the world a better place behind the scenes. He has one of the biggest hearts ever.'

'This is such a genuinely nuanced take, and I really appreciate the room it leaves for empathy, humanity, and compassion for innocent people on all sides.'

'Fed up of people getting mad at ed, he wants to keep politics out of his music which is 100% normal and acceptable, doesnt mean he supports/opposes anything.'

While another said he would be boycotting the show, fans replied to the comment asking for their tickets.  

However while some were fans of Sheeran, they still questioned his actions. 

They added: 'think most people don’t want to see Ed fail. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t missed the mark here in a significant way that every one of us can learn from. The wisdom against neutrality is ancient. 

'And he can still learn better from this. And it’s more than wanting that for a person like Ed, Ed is just currently the stand in for a lesson many many people still could learn from.'

'Saying Ed doesn’t want politics to be part of his shows feels a bit contradictory to me, because art has always been political.' 

'Love you and love your statement and how you stay by your boy. But unfortunately only us, normal civilians, can’t get a lot from governments, leaders, diplomats and people with real power. 

'That’s why it’s so important that big artists, who hold influence and power, tell their truth as well. Stand up for causes they believe in.'

'Well said. You SHOULD stand up for your friend. But he, like you, did not say Genocide in either speech. If you're going to talk about the truth, what is real, what is ACTUALLY happening. Then you should call it what it is.'

Sheeran has lost more than 200,000 Instagram followers in 24 hours after fans criticised.

While his Instagram follower count stood at 47.6 million on Monday, it has now dropped to 47.3 million.  

Macklemore, aka Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, faced a boycott petition to drop him after he delivered a politically motivated speech in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank during his performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. 

Responding with an Instagram statement after it was confirmed he was leaving the Loop Tour, the rapper claimed Sheeran told him billionaire Robert Kraft orchestrated the move having 'rallied other stadium owners and issuing an ultimatum' to Sheeran that the whole tour is cancelled or Macklemore is removed.

Kraft is the chief executive of the Kraft Group, which owns the NFL team the New England Patriots, as well as the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts where Sheeran is due to play September 25 and 26.

Sheeran addressed Macklemore being removed from the tour with his own statement which read that Macklemore's speech had upset the owners of venues while reminding fans he will never personally take a political stance publicly.

After the news of Macklemore's departure, all of Sheeran's remaining support acts have also stepped away from the tour. 

Finneas wrote: ‘Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people.'

Rowe took a strong stance as he wrote: 'Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life. I could never thank him enough for this. But as Irish people, we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation.’

He continued by saying he 'cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up'.

Lukas Graham wrote: 'We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up. Wherever they live. Whatever flag flies over them.'

They said their upbringing in a small Danish community made it so speaking your mind was part of everyday life and having more money did not invalidate one's opinions: 'I love Ed, and I’m grateful for everything we’ve shared. That hasn’t changed. But I can’t put these words out into the world and carry on with this tour as things stand.

'I’m sorry we won’t be there. This is a difficult decision but it’s one I need to stand by.'

Irish band Beoga, who join Sheeran for eight songs including Galway Girl, also revealed that they are removing themselves from the tour.

They wrote: 'We have been friends with Ed for over ten years now and will continue to be.

'Playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams but to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine is simply not an option for us.'

Beoga also showed their solidarity for Macklemore as they echoed his sentiments by writing: 'The whole episode is once again serving to distract from the real issue, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since the most recent so-called ceasefire.'

Smith, who previously supported Sheeran on his tour last year, released a statement on Wednesday morning, telling fans: 'For everyone asking me to drop out of Ed's tour, let's get something straight: I'm not on that tour anymore.'

Whilst Smith confirmed he had dropped out he went on to voice his support for Sheeran, insisting 'Ed it not the victim here. Palestinians are. But let's not get confused: Ed it also not the perpetrator.'

'I need to be very clear about Ed. He is my friend. Not an industry friend. A real one. And there is no pressure, no trend, no headline and no comment section that will make me turn on him or hang him out to dry.'

'Supporting Palestinian life, safety and freedom does not require me to betray someone I know to be a good human being. It requires me to keep the focus where it belongs: on the people suffering, and on the people with the power to stop it.' 

Myles highlighted his background 'working in a home with Holocaust survivors, spending time with the Jewish community and hearing stories of bravery, survival, loss and humanity from people who had lived through things most of us only read about.

'I've also spent my life around Muslim friends and families, spend time in mosques, celebrated Eid throughout my youth and grown up in Luton: a working-class, proudly multicultural, predominantly ethnic minority town where Island and Muslim culture were part of the beauty and fabric of everyday life.'

'Neither of those experiences taught me to sit on the fence. They taught me to be human.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to Sheeran's representatives for comment on the four acts resigning from the tour and has yet to hear back.

It remains uncertain how the Loop Tour will proceed with zero openers scheduled and 18 dates still set through the end of the year. 

Sheeran had assured his followers on Tuesday that Macklemore's removal would not affect his tour, as he told them 'I would never let down the fans who had made plans'.

In his reaction, which came two days after Macklemore's own statement, he said: 'I am appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine. 

'The suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy. There are too many wars across the world causing immeasurable pain, none of which should be tolerated.

'Macklemore asked to join my tour last year and I agreed, because I respect him as an artist. As with all my support acts, I agree that they play a setlist of their choosing.

'After Macklemore's performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting.' 

Sheeran continued by explaining that he had tried to find a resolution so that Macklemore could remain on his tour but he was not able to.

He said: 'I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said. I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge.

'One of those people was Robert Kraft. I was also involved in direct talks with promoters along with activists on both sides to try and find a mutual resolution for all, but the venue's and promoter's decision was final.

'Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine. Macklemore's contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.'

Sheeran then explained that there would be no alterations to the tour he has planned because he would never let his fans and crew down.

He said: 'I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.

'I have always used my platform and music to bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together and this won't ever change. Those who have been to one of my shows will know that they are about unity, joy, escapism, love, and a place for everyone to feel welcome.

'I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn't mean I don't have them, and it doesn't mean I don't care. Nor does it mean I don't support causes in my own, personal way.

'There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics - my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. 

'I respect Macklemore's strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change.

'There are different approaches to being an advocate for change. I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so. I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.'

Sheeran captioned his post: 'It's important I set out some facts.'