The promoter, who also runs the Reading & Leeds Festival, agreed that West’s past behaviour was “abhorrent” and “disgusting”, but highlighted the role that the star’s mental health may have played, and asked for understanding.
“Mental health is not something that disappears overnight,” he said.
“People suffer psychotic behaviour, suffer bipolar behaviour, for many, many years… And I think people are forgetting that.”
But Jewish groups have criticised Benn’s support for the star.
Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said that the Wireless boss’s statement “will not reassure many within the Jewish or other communities”.
He added that he was “willing” to meet with West, but only if the star agrees to cancel his upcoming shows.
“The Jewish community will want to see a genuine remorse and change before believing that the appropriate place to test this sincerity is on the main stage at the Wireless Festival,” he said.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “deeply concerned” about West’s scheduled appearance.
“Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears,” he told The Sun newspaper., external
Health Secretary Wes Streeting echoed those sentiments on Tuesday, calling West’s apology “mealy-mouthed and self-serving”, and accusing Wireless of offering the rapper a “fig leaf of credibility”.
“If he wants forgiveness, it’s not my forgiveness he needs,” Streeting told Radio 4. “It’s the forgiveness of the Jewish communities and I don’t think he’s done anything to earn it.”
Mr Benn claimed that the rapper had been granted a visa to perform in the UK, “in the last few days”.
“He has a visa already issued to appear, to come into the country, and the Home Secretary may well rescind that today, I don’t know,” he said.
“If she does, she does, and then the issue is over in terms of his appearance.”
The Home Office says it is currently reviewing whether West, 48, should be allowed to enter the country.
