Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Record shop bans Morrissey's albums over far-right support

Cardiff-based store Spillers, billed as ‘the oldest record shop in the world’, will no longer sell the artist’s music 

Clarisse Loughrey
Thursday 23 May 2019 03:36 EDT
Comments
Morrissey performs song while wearing For Britain party badge

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A record shop has announced it will no longer stock Morrissey‘s music, due to his support for a far-right political party.

Ashli Todd, who owns the Cardiff-based store Spillers, billed as “the oldest record shop in the world”, told Wales Online: “I’m saddened but ultimately not surprised that Spillers is unable to stock Morrissey’s releases any longer. I only wished I’d done it sooner.”

This week, Anne Marie Waters, a notorious anti-Islam campaigner and the leader of the far-right party For Britain, thanked Morrissey after he was seen wearing a badge supporting the group in public.

Waters posted a video claiming the badges had “sold out” after the images of Morrissey emerged, adding: “Thank you so much for your support since the Ukip leadership election. Thank you for giving us so much publicity.”

He was seen wearing the badge during his New York residency, as well as during a performance on the Tonight Show.

Morrissey previously expressed support for the party last year, claiming it was the first time in his life that he felt inclined to vote for a political party.

“For Britain has received no media support and have even been dismissed with the usual childish ‘racist’ accusation,” he said in an interview with fan Fiona Dodwell. “I don’t think the word ‘racist’ has any meaning any more, other than to say ‘you don’t agree with me, so you’re a racist.’ People can be utterly, utterly stupid.”

Nigel Farage, former Ukip leader and current leader of the Brexit Party, once reportedly described Waters’ supporters as “Nazis and racists”.

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in