Britain’s chief rabbi has strongly condemned the BBC’s “airing of vile Jew-hate at Glastonbury”

His comments come in response to a rapper who chanted “death, death to the IDF” during the festival..

Bob Vylan,real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, repeated the phrase in a performance that was broadcast live by the BBC.

The corporation has expressed regret at not pulling the live stream. The Culture Secretary has claimed that the issue should have been foreseeable and constituted “a problem of leadership” for the broadcaster.

The Telegraph reports: But in a post on X, Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis described the incident as a “time of national shame”.

“This is a time of national shame. The airing of vile Jew-hatred at Glastonbury and the BBC’s belated and mishandled response, brings confidence in our national broadcaster’s ability to treat antisemitism seriously to a new low.

“It should trouble all decent people that now, one need only couch their outright incitement to violence and hatred as edgy political commentary, for ordinary people to not only fail to see it for what it is, but also to cheer it, chant it and celebrate it.

“Toxic Jew-hatred is a threat to our entire society.”

The Telegraph reports: The Chief Rabbi’s comments came as the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAAS) issued calls for Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, to be sacked following Bob Vylan’s set. 

The campaign group said that if the event was “not met with the firmest condemnation and recourse, then it is the surest sign yet that Britain is becoming a haven for hatred and unsafe for Jews”. 

Mr Davie, who was visiting staff at the festival on Saturday afternoon, was informed of the chant shortly after it had been made and ruled that the rap duo’s set should not be made available to watch on demand. However, the chant remained on iPlayer for another five hours.

Sources stressed that pulling the livestream was not discussed, but a spokesman said that, in hindsight, the BBC regretted that this decision was not taken.

A BBC source said: “Tim was there for a few hours to see the team. He was made aware during the time he was there of what had been said on stage. He intervened to make sure the performance was not made available on demand and he was very clear about that.

“Pulling the livestream brings certain technological challenges. With hindsight, we would have taken it down. He would have asked what the options were, but it isn’t as straightforward as hitting a button and taking it down.”