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Politics

24th Nov 2017

Bob Geldof: “The British have knifed themselves in the gut”

"As Irish, we're used to watching Britain shoot themselves in the foot."

Rudi Kinsella

No punches pulled here.

Bob Geldof was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 40th Annual Irish Post Awards in London on Thursday night.

Never the type to waste an opportunity, Geldof took this chance to let off some steam with regards to Brexit, ahead of negotiations coming next month. Geldof bluntly said: “It is in the interest of Britain to stay in Europe, as it is the interest of Ireland to be allied with Britain in Europe.”

He claimed that “when you have a platform, you have to use it”.

And use it he did.

Discussing Britain’s impending exit from the EU, he said that “we have a year and a half to prevent this catastrophe”.

He went on to say: “As Irish, we’re used to watching the British shoot themselves in the foot. But this is the first time we’ve seen them knife themselves in the gut.”

Geldof elaborated on the point that those who have a platform must use it, saying: “Things can change. If you think that things should change, you can sort of move towards that. I was lucky that I learned that rock and roll could be, in my time, the rhetoric and platform for change.”

Geldof was also questioned about Burmese politician Suu Kyi, and why he returned his Freedom of the City of  Dublin award.

“I think she should be taken off the Nobel Prize list, keep the money, take her off the roll,” he said.

“And the same should happen with the city of Dublin.”

He then joked about the Lifetime Achievement Award he was receiving on the night, saying: “You haven’t given this to a Burmese woman lately, have you? Because, fuck me, it’s going straight back.”

You can watch the video of Geldof’s passionate speech below.

Clip via The Irish Post