The UK government has banned two prominent US political commentators, Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker, from entering Britain in what critics say is the latest example of London policing speech on Israel’s behalf.
Uygur, founder of The Young Turks, and Piker, one of the most-watched political streamers in the US, said their travel authorisations were cancelled ahead of planned appearances in London and at Oxford. Both men say the decision was not based on any threat to Britain, but on their outspoken criticism of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
READ: Exposed – the influence of the pro-Israeli lobby in British politics and media
Announcing the ban, Uygur accused the British government of acting to protect Israel from scrutiny. “I tried to get on a flight to London to attend SXSW London and give a speech at Oxford,” he wrote on X. “I’ve been banned for criticising Israel.” In a further post, he said British officials had described him as “a serious risk to the public order,” adding: “Don’t know if facts will soon be banned in Britain.”
I’ve been banned from the UK. I tried to get on a flight to London to attend SXSW London and give a speech at Oxford. I’ve been banned for criticizing Israel. Are we free anymore? This is oppression of Western citizens by our own governments on behalf of a different country!
— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) May 31, 2026
Piker also linked the decision directly to Israel, writing that the ban had come “all at the behest of Israel.” He accused Western governments of betraying their claimed liberal values in order to shield “a genocidal fascist foreign government” from criticism.
the uk has revoked my visa as well. all at the behest of israel. the west is betraying “liberal values” for a genocidal fascist foreign government. soon we will all become israel. https://t.co/UqQG1dogOI
— hasanabi (@hasanthehun) May 31, 2026
Journalist Glenn Greenwald said the episode exposed Israel’s uniquely privileged status in British and Western politics. He noted that Uygur and Piker had not been barred because they attacked Britain or threatened British interests, but because they criticised Israel.
Greenwald that the decision to ban the two commentators was “driven by the same dynamic that caused the Trump Admin — as one of its very earliest top priorities last year — to force US universities to expel American students protesting Israel, to deport others who merely criticized Israel, and to implement aggressive speech codes to protect Israel from common criticisms (even though one is free to say all the same things about any other country, including the US).”
Note that the UK Government just banned entry of two American citizens — @cenkuygur and @hasanthehun — not because they criticized or worked against the interests of the UK.
It was solely because they criticize and oppose the one country deemed sacred and off-limits in the UK… pic.twitter.com/PeoY3gAfHA
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) May 31, 2026
The ban has once again fuelled speculation as to why Israel is granted a special political privilege in Britain and across the wester world: not merely diplomatic support, arms cooperation and legal protection, but the power to shape the limits of acceptable speech inside a foreign state.
The decision comes as Britain faces mounting accusations of complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Successive UK governments have maintained support for Israel through arms exports, intelligence cooperation, diplomatic cover and political repression of pro-Palestine activism.
Peter Oborne’s book, Complicit: Britain’s Role in the Destruction of Gaza, argues that Britain’s political and media class helped enable Israel’s war by shielding it from accountability and marginalising critics of Israeli state violence.
READ: Britain: From arms supplier to accomplice in war crimes
