Opinions Divided Over Gaiety Show
An MHK has said she’s ‘saddened’ that so many people on the Isle of Man are willing to pay to watch Katie Hopkins perform.
The former Apprentice contestant turned controversial commentator is bringing her Free Range tour to the Gaiety Theatre on Thursday, marking her first appearance at the taxpayer-funded venue after previously performing at the Manx Legion.
Her booking has sparked plenty of debate online, with some questioning whether the Gaiety should host someone whose views on issues including immigration, race and LGBTQ+ rights have repeatedly attracted controversy.
However others believe it’s simply free speech and the Gaiety’s values shouldn’t be coming into question.
Middle MHK Michelle Haywood has now weighed in, saying she supports freedom of speech, but believes that doesn’t mean people are free from the consequences of what they say.
She said: ‘It’s a tricky one isn’t it?
‘I’m a strong believer in the right to freedom of speech. However, that right needs to be balanced against the speech in question not descending into harassment, threats, intimidation or unlawful incitement. Freedom of speech is not the same as freedom from the consequences of what you say.
‘Allowing someone to hire a venue does not indicate that Government is in any way endorsing a performer’s views. If the performance breaches hate crime, public order or incitement laws, it should be dealt with through the law.
‘In a free society the test of freedom of expression is not whether we tolerate speech that we agree with, but whether we tolerate speech that we dislike.’
But she made her own feelings about the performer crystal clear.
‘Personally, I find Katie Hopkins to be a thoroughly unpleasant performer, with views that I find objectionable, offensive, divisive and often factually incorrect,’ she said.
‘I am saddened that so many in our community are willing to pay to watch her perform and I hope that this doesn’t reflect how many of them feel about immigrants, Muslims and LGBTQ+ members of our community.
‘Some comedians just aren’t very funny.’
Meanwhile, the current Manx Bard, Bradley Chambers, has formally written to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC), the Isle of Man Arts Council, and Sarah Wilson-White, Head of Culture and Arts, to express his concerns regarding the forthcoming appearance of Katie Hopkins on the Isle of Man as part of her stand-up comedy tour.
He said: ‘All bear responsibility for this decision and should rightly be held accountable for it.’
Gef also contacted both the Department for Enterprise and the Department of Education, Sport and Culture, while the Isle of Man Arts Council provided an identical statement.
It stressed that the Gaiety Theatre and Villa Marina operate as public venues available to hire, with bookings considered under standard procedures and legal requirements.
The statement also made clear that the decision to proceed with the booking was made neither by the Isle of Man Arts Council nor directly by the VillaGaiety team.
It added that the department ‘does not endorse, promote or otherwise adopt the views or opinions’ of anyone hiring its venues, and that hosting an event should not be seen as an endorsement of the views expressed by performers or organisers.
