Killdren: Band dropped from Glastonbury Festival line-up over 'Kill Tory Scum' lyrics

Organisers have cancelled the booking after intense backlash.
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A band with a song titled Kill Tory Scum (Before They Kill You) has been dropped from the line-up of this year's Glastonbury music festival.

Killdren, who describe themselves as “a two-bit rave punk band who pen politically charged slapstick anthems”, had been booked to play at the Shangri-Hell International TV stage on June 28.

However the booking was withdrawn following a backlash over their song Kill Tory Scum.

The song's language was described as “completely abhorrent” by the Jo Cox Foundation after several Sunday newspapers revealed the festival booking.

Its lyrics include the lines “even if it's your dad or your mum, kill Tory scum, kill Tory scum” and “murder them all to the beat of a drum, kill Tory scum, kill Tory scum".

Glastonbury festival returns this summer
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A message at the end of the song's video makes it clear, however, that Killdren "do not condone the killing of MPs or voters".

The band were booked by Shrangi-La independently from Glastonbury Festival.

Organisers cancelled the booking on Sunday evening after criticism spiralled.

Shrangi-La said in a tweet: "We are incredibly saddened that the attention this booking has received has caused such upset and negativity to a peaceful festival we are so proud to be part of.

“We in no way condone violence and will not allow this matter to overshadow the incredibly inclusive spirit of Glastonbury, and as a result we have taken the decision to withdraw the booking of this band."

Earlier, the band tweeted that their new-found notoriety had helped them sell merchandise.

They later asked Twitter followers to "give the video a watch for facts about the real violence in society inflicted by Tory policies....!!"

The Jo Cox foundation's chief executive Catherine Anderson told the Sunday Times: "We as a foundation cannot but think of Jo when any public platform is given to an individual or a group who are inciting violence.

“That sort of language and the abuse of children and family members should not be tolerated."

Labour MP Ms Cox was murdered by a political extremist in her constituency in 2016.

The decision to rescind the band's booking received a negative reaction on social media.

Twitter users called it "cowardly and pathetic" and a "slippery slope".

Some questioned why other performers with explicit song lyrics had been allowed to play.

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