THE new British high commissioner to India Alex Ellis on Friday (5) said that the farmers' protest is India's 'internal issue' and it is for it to resolve.
"I think the foreign secretary (Dominic Raab) said it when he was in India 'your politics is our politics'. In other words, things that happen in India have ripples in the UK partly because you have such a big diaspora community in the UK, so these things get debated," he said at a media interaction.
"This is something we look at but it is something for India to resolve."
British lawmakers will debate the issue of press freedom and safety of protesters in India on Monday (8) in response to an e-petition which crossed the 1,00,000-signature threshold required for such a debate, the House of Commons petitions committee had confirmed earlier this week.
Ellis said: "This is something that is done by Parliament, the government has to participate, it has to answer but it is the parliamentarians, as you expect, raising issues that are a concern to them in their constituencies.
"My observation more generally is that as the Indian diaspora grows, you are going to see more of this. I think that as India grows and becomes more international and ever more significant in the world, there will be more debate about Indian issues."
The 90-minute debate on Monday will be held at the Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament complex in London and will be opened by Scottish National Party MP and member of the petitions committee Martyn Day, and a minister will be deputed to respond on behalf of the UK government.
The debate relates to the petition entitled ‘Urge the Indian government to ensure safety of protesters & press freedom', which called on the British government to make a public statement on the “#kissanprotests & press freedoms”.
Farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points, since November 28, demanding a complete repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
The government has denied allegations that it was trying to put an end to the MSP and the mandi system. Prime minister Narendra Modi has also assured farmers that the MSP would continue.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)