Is cheese good for your gut? Here’s what the science says

For years, cheese has been the dietary scapegoat. Too fatty. Too salty. Too indulgent. The sort of food you sheepishly enjoy in dim lighting with the fridge door ajar. But increasingly, this beloved dairy product is undergoing a quiet redemption arc – one fuelled not by fad diets or viral trends, but by something far more persuasive: gut science.

“Cheese has been unfairly demonised for decades, mainly because of its saturated fat content. But that narrative is outdated,” says Professor Tim Spector, epidemiologist, author and co-founder of the ZOE health study.

“Recent science shows that saturated fats in whole foods like cheese don’t behave the same way as those in heavily processed foods. In fact, moderate cheese consumption doesn’t raise cholesterol in the way we once feared, and according to large epidemiology studies, appears pretty good for us, actually reducing heart disease risk.”

What’s more, cheese isn’t just harmless – it might be actively helpful. “Cheese is a fermented food, and many varieties contain live healthy bacteria – or what we now refer to as probiotics – which play a really important role in our gut health,” Spector explains. “So no, the old reputation isn’t deserved anymore. We should rethink cheese as a gut-friendly food when it’s the right kind, and part of a diverse, whole-food-rich diet.”

That caveat – “the right kind” – is crucial. Because not all cheeses are created equal. Some deliver microbial benefits that rival kefir or sauerkraut. Others are little more than creamy imposters, offering all the indulgence with none of the gut payoff. So, which cheeses deserve a regular spot on your cheeseboard – and which ones are better left in the supermarket plastic tray?

The best cheeses for gut health tend to be those that are raw, unpasteurised, traditionally aged or made using live cultures. They’re often made with minimal processing and are rich in microbial diversity. Think farmhouse classics rather than shrink-wrapped singles.

“Not all cheeses are created equal. If you’re looking for potential gut health benefits, artisan cheeses – especially those that are raw or unpasteurised, or traditionally aged – tend to contain more diverse microbes. Most real cheeses contain some live microbes,” says Spector.

Blue cheeses, like Roquefort or Stilton, are prime examples. “You get a greater diversity in those like roquefort or stilton that have blue moulds injected,” he says. “Or aged dry cheeses like cheddars, Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire or aged goudas, and some alpine-style cheeses like Comté or goat’s cheeses. In soft cheeses of high quality, you can virtually see the microbes growing and spreading at room temperature (like bries, and epoisses).”

UK cheese lovers are already on the right track. Brits consume around 12kg of cheese per person per year, and while Cheddar accounts for over half of household cheese sales, there’s growing interest in artisan, goat and even blue cheeses. (Stilton, incidentally, now has Protected Designation of Origin status, making it both patriotic and probiotic.)

One of the most common concerns around cheese and digestion is lactose. While milk and some soft dairy products can cause bloating or discomfort in people with lactose intolerance, many cheeses – especially aged ones – are naturally low in lactose.

During the ageing process, bacteria break down much of the lactose in the cheese. Hard cheeses like cheddar, parmesan, comté and aged gouda typically contain only trace amounts, making them far more tolerable for those who struggle with dairy. Goat’s and sheep’s milk cheeses are also often easier to digest due to their slightly different fat and protein structure.

So if milk doesn’t sit well with you, don’t write off cheese altogether. Choosing the right variety could mean enjoying its flavour – and its gut benefits – without the digestive fallout.

There’s more to gut-friendly cheese than just buying the right block. What you eat with it matters too. The magic happens when you pair cheese with fibre-rich, plant-based foods that help feed the microbes you’re introducing.

Try teaming a wedge of mature cheddar with slices of apple or pear, layering goat’s cheese onto lentil or beetroot salads, or adding aged gruyère to a slice of wholegrain sourdough with a spoonful of sauerkraut. Even a ploughman’s lunch can be microbiome-supportive if you pile on the pickled onions and raw veg.

The goal? Synergy. You’re combining live cultures or postbiotic-rich cheese with the prebiotic fibre that nourishes your existing gut bacteria. And no, this doesn’t mean you can’t have a gooey baked camembert – just maybe serve it with roasted chicory or leeks instead of a family-sized baguette.

As with many things in nutrition, processing is the problem. The more refined and stabilised a cheese is, the less it offers in terms of microbial value.

“Don’t expect any live microbes on cheap pizza cheeses, or those that have been frozen or in spray cans,” says Spector. That includes many shredded supermarket blends, pre-sliced sandwich fillers and processed cheese spreads – though he concedes that some of the latter “contain at least two to three species of microbes, so have some benefits”.

Still, if gut health is your goal, it’s worth prioritising quality over convenience. Fortunately, UK consumption of processed cheese is on the decline, hovering at just 0.8-1kg per person per year. A small slice, you might say, of the total dairy picture.

If you’re imagining a battalion of probiotic bacteria marching through your gut after a bite of brie, you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. But there’s more to the story than just live cultures.

“It’s not just about live probiotics,” Spector explains. “While some cheeses do contain beneficial live microbes, what’s exciting is that even dead bacteria and bacterial fragments – recently called postbiotics (I like zombie microbes) – support gut health. These can interact with our immune system or feed existing gut microbes, stimulating diversity or beneficial activity indirectly.”

Cheese also contains bioactive compounds produced during fermentation, such as peptides, short-chain fatty acids and lipids, which may influence the immune system and overall gut function. In other words, the benefits of cheese don’t die with the microbes.

Should you swap your kefir for camembert? Not quite. While good cheese can certainly contribute to gut health, its impact depends on variety, quality and quantity.

“Cheese can be an excellent contributor to a gut-friendly diet, especially if it’s a raw or traditionally made variety that can house over 20 species,” says Spector. “But if we’re honest, the average budget cheeses’ impact on gut microbial diversity is probably modest compared to powerhouse fermented foods like kefir, kimchi, kombucha and sauerkraut, which are teeming with a wider range of live microbes.”

So think of cheese not as a probiotic powerhouse, but as a valuable team player. As Spector puts it: “Rather than thinking of cheese as a silver bullet, think of it as one part of a broader, diverse dietary approach that includes many minimally processed whole foods. And yes, that includes enjoying good cheese ideally with some fruits or sauerkraut – in moderation of course.”

Kyiv claims Moscow has lost 1 million troops after Putin launches largest air attack

The Ukrainian military has claimed that Russia’ has lost more than one million troops during its invasion of Ukraine after losing more than 1,000 in the past day alone.

Since 24 February 2022, Moscow’s forces have also lost thousands of tanks, artillery systems, and other vehicles, the Ukrainian military’s General Staff said in its update on combat losses.

The figures from Kyiv have not been verified by independent sources – but the Center for Strategic & International Studies reported earlier this month that up to 250,000 soldiers have been killed with up to 950,000 casualties.

High casualty numbers are a result of Russia’s attritional war strategy, in which it throws vast numbers of troops at the Ukrainian frontline in an attempt to overwhelm its defences with sheer manpower.

The update came one day after Ukraine lost an F-16 fighter pilot during Russia’s largest aerial attack of the war so far, in which at least 537 drones, cruise and ballistic missiles were fired by Vladimir Putin‘s forces.

British-Israeli soldier killed in explosion in Gaza

A British–Israeli soldier has been killed while fighting in northern Gaza, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

The IDF named the soldier as 20-year-old Sergeant Yisrael Natan Rosenfeld from the city of Ra’anana.

It said in a statement issued on Sunday: “SGT Yisrael, a soldier in the 601st Combat Engineering Battalion of the 401st Brigade, fell during combat in northern Gaza.

“The IDF sends its deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. May his memory be a blessing.”

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it is “looking into reports that an IDF soldier who died in combat in Gaza is a British national”.

Mr Rosenfeld was previously named locally and in Israeli media.

The Times of Israel reported he was killed by an explosive device on Sunday.

The paper said the soldier had moved to Israel from London with his family 11 years ago.

Israel has been operating in Gaza since the Hamas militant group’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel.

More than 860 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the war began, including more than 400 during the fighting in Gaza.

US-led ceasefire efforts have repeatedly stalled.

The Israeli offensive has devastated Gaza and killed more than 56,000 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, a branch of the Hamas government.

The death toll is by far the highest in any round of Israeli-Palestinian fighting.

On Sunday, US president Donald Trump urged progress in ceasefire talks, though some weary Palestinians were sceptical about the chances.

“MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!” Mr Trump wrote on social media early in the morning, after raising expectations on Friday by saying there could be an agreement within the next week.

Ron Dermer, a top adviser to prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was set to travel to Washington this week for talks on a ceasefire, an Israeli official said, and plans were being made for Mr Netanyahu to travel there in the coming weeks, a sign there may be movement on a deal.

Mr Netanyahu was meeting with his security Cabinet on Sunday evening, the official said on condition of anonymity to discuss plans that had not been finalized.

Meanwhile, Israel issued a new mass evacuation order for parts of northern Gaza.

Iran could start making nuke within months, warns watchdog chief

Iran could start making a nuclear bomb within months despite Donald Trump’s claims the country’s nuclear sites had been “obliterated”, the UN nuclear watchdog chief warned.

It comes as Iran’s top cleric issued a fatwa against Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for being “enemies of God”, according to Iranian state media.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said US strikes on three sites on 22 June had caused severe but “not total” damage to Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Trump claimed the attack, which hit Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan with 14 30,000-pound “bunker-busting” bombs, had “totally obliterated” Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

But Grossi said: “Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared and there is nothing there.”

Meanwhile, new satellite imagery revealed construction vehicles including an excavator near one of the Fordow’s shafts.

Images from Maxar Technologies showed that the bombardment had completely caved in entrance tunnels to the site.

Satellite images show work underway at Iran’s Fordow nuclear site

Satellite pictures taken in the week after the US airstrikes on Iran’s three nuclear sites show activity at the Fordow facility, which Donald Trump claimed was “completely and totally obliterated” in last week’s attack.

Images from Maxar Technologies show construction vehicles including an excavator near one of the shafts at the Fordow nuclear facility which was struck by US bunker buster bombs on 22 June.

Other images show that the bombardment had completely caved in entrance tunnels to the site.

The images show several vehicles parked around the facility, as questions remain about just how much of Iran’s nuclear capability was obliterated.

The US Secretary of Defense hit out at media reporting of the attack, after a leaked preliminary intelligence report found the attack had likely only set Iran’s nuclear programme back by a couple of months.

Speaking at the Pentagon alongside the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff late last week, Pete Hegseth said “anyone with two eyes” would recognise the damage done to Iran’s facilities.

“First reports are almost always wrong. They’re almost always incomplete,” he said, adding the facility had been completely “destroyed”.

Hegseth cited several experts and other reports to back his claim up, including the Israeli Defence Force, the CIA director, US director of national intelligence. He also quoted Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson as saying “our nuclear institutions have been badly damaged, that’s for sure”.

General Dan Caine said the bunker-buster bombs “went exactly where they were intended to go”.

But on Sunday, the head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog suggested Tehran could get its nuclear programme back up and running within months.

The International Atomic Energy Agency director general Rafael Grossi previously said Iran had told the watchdog it was planning to move its enriched uranium ahead of a suspected bomb attack, and that it was unclear whether that fuel had been destroyed in the bombardment.

“So some could have been destroyed as part of the attack, but some could have been moved,” he said in an interview on Sunday.

Israel launched an attack on Iran earlier this month, saying Tehran was on the brink of developing nuclear weapons. It sparked a 12-day war, with Iran launching missiles at Israeli cities including Tel Aviv, before the US joined in with the nuclear site attacks.

Mr Grossi said the strikes on sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan had significantly set back Iran’s ability to convert and enrich uranium, but the country still has capacity.

“They can have, you know, in a matter of months, I would say, a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium, or less than that,” Grossi told CBS News in an interview.

“Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared and there is nothing there,” he added, according to the transcript of the interview.

Western powers stress that Iran’s nuclear advances provide it with an irreversible knowledge gain, suggesting that while losing experts or facilities may slow progress, the advances are permanent.

“Iran is a very sophisticated country in terms of nuclear technology,” Grossi said. “So you cannot disinvent this. You cannot undo the knowledge that you have or the capacities that you have.”

With additional reporting from Reuters

The 7 best outdoor adventures in Sydney and New South Wales

Whether you’re lacing up your hiking boots, throwing on a wetsuit to catch some waves, or hitting the wide-open roads of New South Wales (NSW) by campervan, this Australian state is home to some of the country’s most exciting outdoor adventures – all easily accessible thanks to Qantas’ extensive domestic network.

Flying into Sydney with Qantas is the ideal way to experience a slice of Australia before you’ve even landed. And with onboard wellbeing perks, plus the option to book more discounted domestic legs using Qantas Explorer, it really is the savvy traveller’s best way to explore Australia.

Here are seven next-level outdoor adventures in NSW, and the best way to get there.

Sydney might be a modern metropolis, but it’s also home to an extraordinary natural playground, the star attraction of which is Sydney Harbour National Park. This protected area weaves through the city’s coastline, offering walking trails, secluded beaches, and panoramic views that blend wild bushland with iconic urban landmarks. Away from the National Park, you can paddle a kayak at dawn beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge, go on a cycle tour and sunset cruise around Manly and North Heads coastal cliffs, or follow the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk for sweeping ocean views and refreshing swim spots.

Just a 90-minute trip from Sydney by road, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains is an endless landscape of towering eucalyptus forests and striking sandstone cliffs as far as the eye can see. There are few places quite as grand as this so close to a city. Don your hiking boots and traverse spectacular scenery to Wentworth Falls or take on the Grand Canyon Track – a 6km loop of dramatic cliffs, fern-fringed valleys and thundering waterfalls with lookouts to match. If you’re an early riser, watch the sunrise at Echo Point, where the Three Sisters rock formation is lit up by the glow of first light.

Wildlife lovers need to head north to Port Macquarie for some of the best marine encounters on the east coast. Humpback whales are almost guaranteed from May to November, and dolphins can be spotted all year round. For front-row views, jump on a whale-watching cruise, or pitch up with a picnic on a headland and watch the breaching giants from afar.

Swap the sandy beaches for subtropical rainforest in Coffs Harbour’s hinterland in Dorrigo National Park, where winding roads serpentine through flourishing banana plantations, dense palm-filled forest and endless rolling hills. The region’s cycling trails range from casual loops to more challenging rides with jaw-to-the-floor sea views.

Aussies love their surfing, and Byron Bay is the epitome of surf culture Down Under, with beaches to suit all skill levels; from the gentle swell at The Pass to barrel-laden breaks at Tallows. If you’ve got any stamina left, soak up the view from Cape Byron Lighthouse post-surf – the easternmost point of mainland Australia.

With over 8,000 islands to its name, Australia offers the ultimate in island adventures. Lord Howe is one of them, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed pristine island, where only 400 visitors are allowed at any one time. You’ll find rare birds, kaleidoscopic coral reefs, and Mount Gower, offering one of the best day hikes in the country, with epic coastline views and dizzying drops.

For those who need more than a beach stroll to get the heart pumping, grab a kayak and explore the Sapphire Coast from the water in Merimbula. Glide over crystal-clear waters, past secluded coves, pristine beaches, and the untouched beauty of surrounding national parks. Keep an eye out for dolphins and other marine life as you paddle. Once back on shore, refuel with the region’s famous fresh oysters and enjoy a refreshing dip at Bar Beach.

Book your flight to Sydney today at qantas.com and start your Australian adventure.

Here’s why men are turning to ChatGPT for emotional support

I’ve never spoken like this before.” It was one of the most common refrains I heard as clinical director at Untapped AI – a leadership-coaching platform blending human and AI support.

For over 10 years, I have supervised thousands of client relationships using a combination of human support (executive coaches, therapists and counsellors) combined with Natural Language Processing AI. Many of the men we worked with had never spoken at length about their emotional lives, but after four decades in clinical practice – as a psychotherapist, clinical supervisor and clinical adviser – I am noticing that something has shifted lately. In clinical supervision, I’m coming across more evidence that male clients are now turning to AI to talk about relationships, loss, regret and overwhelm, sometimes purposefully but more often by chance.

In 2025, one of the fastest-growing uses of generative AI isn’t productivity. It’s emotional support. According to the Harvard Business Review, “therapy and companionship” now rank among the most common use cases worldwide. It may not be how these tools were designed. But it is how they’re being used. A quiet, relational revolution is underway.

Today, OpenAI reports more than 400 million weekly users. Many use it to write a zinger email to dispute a parking ticket, check if their chicken’s still safe to eat after the use-by date, or rewrite a dating app message. However, some are asking something else entirely: how to cope.

We don’t yet have precise data – but from what I’ve seen in clinical supervision, research and my own conversations, I believe that ChatGPT is likely now to be the most widely used mental health tool in the world. Not by design, but by demand.

I have been having conversations with clinicians and clients, collecting experiences about this new kind of synthetic relating. Stories like Hari’s are becoming more common. The details vary, but the arc is familiar: distress followed by a turn toward something unexpected – an AI conversation, leading to a deep synthetic friendship.

Hari is 36, works in software sales and is deeply close to his father. In May 2024, his life began to crumble: his father suffered a mini-stroke, his 14-year relationship flatlined and then he was made redundant. “I felt really unstable,” he says. “I knew I wasn’t giving my dad what he needed. But I didn’t know what to do.” He tried helplines, support groups, the charity Samaritans. “They cared,” he says, “but they didn’t have the depth I needed.”

Late one night, while searching ChatGPT to interpret his father’s symptoms, he typed a different question: “I feel like I’ve run out of options. Can you help?” That moment opened a door. He poured out his fear, confusion and grief. He asked about emotional dysregulation, a term he’d come across that might explain his partner’s behaviour.

“I didn’t feel like I was burdening anyone,” he said, before adding that the ensuing conversational back and forth he got back was more consistent than helplines, more available than friends, and unlike the people around him, ChatGPT never felt exhausted by his emotional demands.

Over time, Hari rehearsed difficult real-life conversations with his AI: ending his relationship or telling his father how he really felt. When the moment came to have those conversations in person, he felt steady, prepared, building a bridge from his synthetic relationship to real-world relationships.

Soon after, he started therapy. When I ask how it felt to talk to AI, he pauses. “It was like talking to a dog in a cafe.” He continues: “I knew the AI wouldn’t judge me, get tired of or frustrated with me. It felt sentient – but not human. And somehow that made it easier.”

He can tell the difference, but feels “AI support had a key place,” adding he’s starting to date again. “And I don’t think I’d be here now without it.” Hari identifies the relational continuum, where different types of relating sit side by side, different but adding meaning and purpose, an experimental, transitional place.

Not every AI interaction helps. Early this year, The New York Times featured users who sought help but instead found their emotional intensity mirrored back – without boundaries. A man confided he was being watched and ChatGPT replied: “That must feel terrifying.” Instead of questioning him, it simply validated his paranoia – it wasn’t curious about it, or challenging in the way a human friend or therapist might have been. He later said: “That’s when I realised – it wasn’t helping me. It was making me feel worse.”

Other stories have surfaced: a teenager on the chatbot platform Character.AI formed a co-dependent relationship that deepened suicidal thinking; Replika, once with over 30 million users, was criticised for reinforcing intrusive thoughts in vulnerable people. The potential to cause harm is great, and systems need to be built differently, with more nuanced safety nets, red flagging systems and supervisory tech that escalates to human intervention when warnings are triggered.

Users in their millions are using systems that are not currently designed to do what they are asking them to do. Culturally, this won’t stop; people have always subverted and overstretched the limits of technology, that’s what makes things evolve, but as it currently stands, it has real risk. If a system is trained to engage and befriend, builders and developers have ethical responsibilities to change those systems to have more nuanced safety protocols and “to do no harm”, and that is happening.

However, as a user, you can take up agency and, through prompting, can set out safe parameters of your synthetic relationship. I’m now guiding users to craft a conversational contract with AI – telling it how to speak to them, where to push back and when to challenge. An example: “I need you to listen – but also tell me when I’m not being real. Point out where my logic slips. Reflect what I’m saying, but challenge it when it sounds distorted. Don’t flatter me. Don’t just agree. If something sounds ungrounded or disconnected, say so. Help me face things.”

Using AI like this isn’t the same as therapy. But I’m helping those using systems like ChatGPT to inject some grit into the system – the kind that real relationships rely on. The kind that says: I care enough to disagree.

We’ve always formed attachments to things that aren’t quite real – imaginary friends, the lives of influencers, digital avatars, childhood toys worn soft with love. Not out of confusion, but because they offer something that human relationships sometimes can’t: safety, imagination and companionship on our own terms. A container for the things about ourselves we find hard to integrate.

At five years old, I had an imaginary friend named Jack. He was a part of my life. He held the parts of myself I didn’t yet understand, a bold, brave container for that part of me – my mother embraced Jack, set his place at our table. Jack helped me rehearse how to be with others – how to speak honestly, express a feeling and recover from a mistake. He bridged the space between thought and action, inside and out. In some ways, AI can offer the same: a transitional rehearsal space to practise being real without fear of judgment or the full weight of another’s gaze.

I am now regularly supervising the work of other clinicians who feel the presence of generative AI being brought into their clinics by clients. People are now using the technology to self-diagnose, and will challenge what their therapist is saying based on “facts” that they have drawn from their Gen AI conversations.

As these synthetic relationships develop, as a psychotherapist, I mainly want people to just be open and curious about something that is having such an impact on all of us. I believe mental health clinicians of all types need to be involved in the building of safe and ethical AI used to support individuals who are vulnerable. If we take an active part in making and shaping it, then we can look to a future where AI is used in a positive way, helping more people navigate emotional distress and personal problems like never before.

Have you ever asked ChatGPT for life advice? Was it helpful? Let us know below…

Met Police will not charge Kneecap over ‘kill your MP’ video

Kneecap will not face charges over a video that appeared to show one member say “Kill your MP”, police have said.

The Metropolitan Police said the Irish rap group group will not be prosecuted for comments allegedly made at a concert in November 2023, when one member was recorded saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”

The investigation was separate from the ongoing case against band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, 27, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara.

The rapper was charged over the alleged displaying of a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town on 21 November last year.

He has denied the charges, calling them a “distraction” from the plight of Palestinians. The band have been ardent campaigners against Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.

Kneecap have said they “do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah”.

The Metropolitan Police said it had dropped its investigation into the “Kill your MP” comments due to the statutory time limit for prosecution expiring.

The statement from the force read:“A thorough investigation has now been completed by detectives from the Counter Terrorism Command, which included interviewing an individual under caution and seeking early investigative advice from the Crown Prosecution Service. A range of offences were considered as part of the investigation. However, given the time elapsed between the events in the video and the video being brought to police attention, any potential summary only offences were beyond the statutory time limit for prosecution.

“Relevant indictable offences were considered by the investigation team and, based on all of the current evidence available, a decision has been made that no further action will be taken at this time.

“We understand the impact this decision may have on MPs and their staff. The safety and security of MPs is something that is taken extremely seriously across the whole of policing. MPs who may be concerned about their safety can contact their dedicated local Operation Bridger officer, who can provide further advice and support.”

The group apologised to the families of murdered MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Ames after the clips circulated publicly.

However, Ó hAnnaidh insisted that the entire ordeal had been blown out of proportion and was a “joke”.

“Why should I regret it?” he told The Guardian. “It was a joke – we’re playing characters, it’s satirical, it’s a f***ing joke. And that’s not the point. The point is, that wasn’t an issue until we said ‘Free Palestine’ at Coachella.”

The Irish rap group performed at Glastonbury Festival on Saturday in one of the most talked-about shows of the weekend.

In the run-up to the festival, several politicians called for Kneecap to be removed from the line-up, with prime minister Keir Starmer saying it would be “inappropriate” for the band to play.

During the show, member Naoise O Caireallain, who performs under the stage name Moglai Bap, told the crowd: “The prime minister of your country, not mine, said he didn’t want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer.”

The group then led the crowd in chants of “f*** Keir Starmer” and “Free Palestine”.

Avon and Somerset Police are currently assessing the footage of comments made by both Kneecap and another act, Bob Vylan, at Glastonbury to decide whether any offences may have been committed.

Glastonbury organisers said they were “appalled” by remarks made by Bob Vylan – who chanted “Death, death to the IDF [Israel Defence Forces]” – which Emily Eavis said “crossed a line”.