Billy Bragg “not impressed by Ed Sheeran’s attempt to deflect the current storm of criticism” and questions $2million donation

Billy Bragg has doubled down on his criticism of Ed Sheeran following Macklemore being dropped from the ‘Loop’ tour due to his pro-Palestine comments .

Bragg had previously said that Sheeran risked “tarnishing” his career and becoming “a pariah” over the controversy , arguing that the singer should “swallow [his] pride” and cancel the tour rather than allow venue owners to dictate what artists could say from the stage.

Now, in an Instagram post shared ahead of Sheeran’s show at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field last night (September 19), Bragg said he was “not impressed” by the singer’s response to the mounting criticism.

“I’m not impressed by Ed Sheeran’s attempt to deflect the current storm of criticism he is facing by promising to donate $2m to ‘aid in the region’ of the Middle East,” he wrote.

“It’s not just the ambiguity around the phrase itself, which hopes to avoid offending anyone by cloaking the sentiment in vagueness.

It’s the idea that you can buy back your integrity.” The $2million figure emerged after Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft said Sheeran had called him and asked him to commit the same sum to “aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis”, matching a donation from Sheeran.

That move came after Macklemore announced that he would donate his entire $1million earnings from Sheeran’s tour to six organisations supporting Palestinians .

Bragg went on to argue that Sheeran had an opportunity to take a stronger stand during his Philadelphia concert.

View this post on Instagram “All eyes will be on him following the walk-out by his support acts.

Has he drafted in some scab artists to fill the bill? Will he make a statement or keep his head down and just do the gig?” He continued by arguing that Sheeran should have threatened to show the video for Macklemore’s pro-Palestine protest track ‘Hind’s Hall’ and say “Free Palestine” if Kraft demanded that Macklemore be removed from the tour.

“If Kraft cancelled the show as a result, Sheeran would have been seen as someone willing to risk his career on principle,” Bragg wrote.

“Either way, he would have been lauded as a champion of free speech and not as a hapless wimp willing to abandon his friends and fellow artists at the bidding of a billionaire.” He concluded: “Ed still has a chance to redeem himself.

How he deals with this controversy while onstage in Philadelphia tonight could help reset his image or plunge him deeper into disdain.” Since Bragg made the post, Sheeran has returned to the ‘Loop’ tour and addressed the controversy at length during the Philadelphia show .