The joke sparked controversy on social media
Comedian Fin Taylor has faced criticism after making a joke about wanting to bomb Jeremy Corbyn supporters at Glastonbury.
30-year-old Taylor made the joke on last night’s episode of Have I Got News For You, while comparing Corbyn’s supporters to Bob Dylan fans.
Appearing on a panel alongside host Victoria Coren-Mitchell and regular team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton, Taylor said:
“My relationship with Corbyn is like Bob Dylan, in that I only hate him so much because of his fans.
“People think that Bob Dylan’s the greatest musician that ever lived, and you listen to some of it and it’s awful. But then people are so dogmatic and say he’s the greatest musician.
“People who like Corbyn, it’s what, 200,000 people in the Labour Party that are fanatics. So all you’ve got to do, next year, is bomb Glastonbury, hopefully Dylan’s headlining, two birds, one stone”.
Ian Hislop, Taylor’s team captain, responded by saying “Well, that’s the end of your career”.
Taylor’s comments angered users on social media.
Journalist Dawn Foster said: “Joan Bakewell claims Corbyn ‘broke the law’ on Have I Got News for You” & comedian Fin Taylor says he hates Corbyn supporters and would bomb 200,000 of them at Glastonbury, then “Ooh my week on Twitter will be fun.” Desperately sad, courting controversy cos no one’s heard of you.”
Joan Bakewell claims Corbyn “broke the law” on Have I Got News for You” & comedian Fin Taylor says he hates Corbyn supporters and would bomb 200,000 of them at Glastonbury, then “Ooh my week on Twitter will be fun.” Desperately sad, courting controversy cos no one’s heard of you.
— The Poisonous Euros Atmosphere Fan (@DawnHFoster) November 20, 2020
I suppose wishing people like me get bombed is hilarious, just because We happen to be Socialists who support @jeremycorbyn eh @haveigotnews? …😔#hignfy #IStandWithJeremyCorbyn#WeAreCorbyn pic.twitter.com/fx7OphNvhW
— 💙Catherine A Higgins (Kamara-Taylor) (@JustMeBeingMe4) November 21, 2020
Taylor defended his remarks in a tweet posted earlier today, which has since been deleted.
Ex-Labour leader Corbyn was brought up in discussion by host Coren-Mitchell after he was recently readmitted to the Labour Party. He has, however, been denied the party whip by current leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Corbyn’s controversial readmission came just three weeks after he was suspended over comments made in response to the EHRC report.
Corbyn had claimed that the scale of antisemitism in the Labour Party under his leadership had been “dramatically overstated”. He then clarified his comments with a Twitter post stating:
“I’ve made absolutely clear those who deny there has been an antisemitism problem in the Labour Party are wrong.I will continue to support a zero tolerance policy towards all forms of racism.”