Two prominent US left-wing commentators have been banned from entering the UK, the Home Office has confirmed, in a decision that has sparked accusations of political censorship and drawn attention to the government’s use of its electronic travel authorisation powers.
Cenk Uygur, the co-founder and host of the long-running online political talk show The Young Turks, and Hasan Piker, his nephew and a leading Twitch streamer known as HasanAbi, say they were prevented from travelling to London to speak at the SXSW London festival, which runs from Monday to Saturday. Mr Uygur was also due to address an event organised by University of Oxford students. The Green Party leader, Zack Polanski, had scheduled Mr Piker to appear on his podcast, Bold Politics, and the streamer was also due to be interviewed by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Both men have had their Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) cancelled by the Home Office on the grounds that their presence in the UK “may not be conducive to the public good”. The ETA system allows the Home Office to conduct security and suitability screening before travel; cancellation can occur if new information shows a person falls within suitability criteria, including that broad public-good test. The duo remain able to apply for a visa, which would be freshly considered, but this is unlikely to be processed in time for the festival.
The commentators’ views and allegations
Mr Uygur wrote online that he had been “banned for criticizing Israel”, adding: “Are we free anymore? This is oppression of Western citizens by our own governments on behalf of a different country!” He said British authorities informed him he was deemed “a serious risk to the public order” and that his assertions about Israeli influence in US politics were considered antisemitic, despite his insistence that his remarks were factual. Mr Piker alleged his visa was revoked “at the behest of Israel” and accused the West of “betraying its liberal values for a ‘fascist foreign government’”.
Both men have a history of controversial statements. Mr Piker has faced repeated backlash: in 2019 he reportedly said during a stream that “America deserved 9/11”, which he later apologised for, describing it as inappropriate and intended as satire. He has also stood by comments that Hamas is “1,000 times better” than Israel and that he would “vote for Hamas over Israel every single time”. He defines his viewpoint as anti-Israel rather than antisemitic. In January 2026 he referred to critics as “rabid ultra-Zionist pigs” and called a sect of Orthodox Jews in Israel “inbred”, later clarifying the latter was a pejorative against ethno-religious and racial supremacists. He has expressed no issue with Hezbollah as a form of militancy against Israel. The Community Security Trust, a Jewish organisation, urged SXSW to “act responsibly” and not allow the UK to be a “platform” for Mr Piker, citing his “record of promoting rhetoric that includes antisemitic themes, denial of well-documented atrocities and apparent support for extremist groups”. The Anti-Defamation League described his record of support for designated terrorist organisations and derogatory rhetoric about Jews as a “dangerous pattern”.
Mr Uygur has also been accused of propagating antisemitic tropes in his discussions of US-Israel relations, including claims that Israel controls the American government through donations to Congress. The Times reported that the decision to block him was based on concerns that his presence would risk exacerbating antisemitism. The paper also noted concerns that he appeared to dismiss evidence relating to grooming gangs in towns such as Rotherham during a conversation with Piers Morgan last year. In 2017 he was forced out of the Justice Democrats group over past blog posts described as “sexist and racist”, for which he apologised. In 1991 he promoted Armenian genocide denial in a student newspaper, later rescinding those statements. Bernie Sanders retracted an endorsement of his congressional candidacy in 2019 after past comments about women, demeaning remarks about Black people (including use of the N-word), and provocative statements about Muslims and Jews emerged.
Home Office reasoning and context
The Home Office decides whether to refuse or cancel an ETA based on an assessment of the potential risk an individual may pose to UK society. The “not conducive to the public good” criterion is broad and has been applied in other high-profile cases, including the barring of US rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West) over his history of antisemitic remarks, and the blocking of 11 foreign nationals described as “far-right agitators” ahead of a Tommy Robinson rally. The department declined to comment on the specific reasons for the bans, but the stated grounds reflect a judgement that the commentators’ presence could be harmful to public order or community relations.
The Home Office is led by Shabana Mahmood, who became Home Secretary last year. Her department has faced accusations from groups such as Amnesty International and Defend Our Juries of unduly cracking down on freedom of expression. A 2023 review of the Home Office, released in October 2025, described it as “not yet fit for purpose”, citing a “culture of defeatism” and distrust from other departments. Mahmood has defended her actions, including a significant asylum overhaul, as necessary to combat racism and restore order. The proscription of the pro-Palestinian direct action network Palestine Action as a terrorist group in July 2025 – making it a criminal offence to be a member of or support the group – has also drawn criticism from civil liberties groups, UN experts and lawyers. Between the proscription and April 2026, over 3,000 individuals were arrested for showing support for Palestine Action. In February 2026, a judicial review challenge found the Home Secretary’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action unlawful on two grounds, including inconsistency with her own policy.
Political reactions
Green Party leader Zack Polanski called the ban “really grim”, writing on social media: “People often talk about dangerous road we’d go down under a Reform government – this is another clear warning we’re down there already. A Labour government doing everything possible to silence criticism of the Israeli Government.” Labour MP David Taylor had reportedly called for Mr Piker to be banned the previous week. Ash Sarkar of Novara Media described the decision as evidence of an “authoritarian turn motivated by Labour’s fear of being called antisemitic”. Jeremy Corbyn called the ban “an absurd and cowardly decision from an increasingly authoritarian government”. Some pro-Israel commentators supported the action, citing the men’s past statements.
SXSW London, the European debut of the renowned festival held for the first time in June 2025 in Shoreditch, East London, said: “We are aware that Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker are unable to travel to the UK following a decision by the Home Office. Decisions on entry to the UK are a matter for the Home Office and the individuals concerned. SXSW London’s role is to convene a broad range of diverse voices and perspectives. We remain focused on delivering a programme this week fostering open dialogue and exchange of ideas and featuring more than 800 speakers, artists and screenings.”
