Jacob Rees-Mogg clashes with Cenk Uygur over 'hilarious and ridiculous' ban from Britain

A left-wing activist banned from entering Britain said the Government's stance on free speech is "hilarious and ridiculous" and claimed there is an Israeli lobby controlling the Labour Government's decision-making during a tense debate with Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Cenk Uygur, host of the online news channel The Young Turks, was among a group of commentators banned from entering the UK despite plans to attend the Oxford Union debating society and SWSW London.

The commentator, who is a fierce critic of Israel, had his electronic travel authorisation revoked after the Home Office deemed his presence "not conducive to the public good".

Mr Uygur has previously been accused of invoking antisemitic tropes, including Israeli influence over American politics, with concerns also raised over his remarks surrounding the grooming gang scandal.

The denial of his entry to Britain comes just weeks after a wave of right-wing commentators were also banned from entering the country to attend the Unite the Kingdom march.

Mr Uygur told GB News the UK Government's stance on the issue was "hilarious and ridiculous" and jokingly mocked claims his presence would "cause mayhem in the streets".

He told GB News: "With the grooming gangs, that portion of what the British Government said is a flat-out lie. If you kept rolling that tape, it is indisputable.

"I said grooming gangs definitely exist, and they should definitely be prosecuted – so they just made that up, period."

He alluded to the Israeli lobby, which he said has a presence in the US and UK, and claimed they have influenced the Government's decision and views on him and his beliefs.

"There is a massive difference between Jewish people and the government of Israel," he said. "They weaponise charges of antisemitism in order to protect the government of Israel and the genocide they are committing.

"I'm a fierce critic of Israel, but I never put that on the Jewish people. In fact, I'm worried that Israel's defenders are using that in a callous way, and it endangers Jewish Americans and Brits."

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During the interview with GB News' Jacob Rees-Mogg, Mr Uygur defended claims he had conflated the Israeli government with Jewish donors, and insisted the semantics of his comments were misconstrued.

He addressed the notion he was only now banned, having criticised Israel, having previously slammed the Saudi Arabian government and even spoke out against the UK, among others.

Continuing to emphasise his differentiation between Jews and the Israeli lobby, he highlighted his proximity to Jewish family, friends and colleagues who he says are "all against this genocide".

Left-wing American influencer Hasan Piker has also been barred from entering Britain after the Home Office similarly deemed his presence "not conducive to the public good".

The streamer had been due to appear at the SXSW London festival on June 4 for a panel titled "How the American Left Learned to Speak the Internet".

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