THE First Minister has said he hopes Joanna Cherry’s cancelled show at a comedy club in Edinburgh can go ahead.
Humza Yousaf said he hoped a “solution” could be found after The Stand issued a statement saying its staff were not comfortable working the event.
The event would have seen Cherry engage in discussions with various high-profile Scots for the Edinburgh Fringe.
Yousaf told LBC: “I’ve not spoken to Joanna but I’ve made some comment on the situation and I really do hope Joanna’s show can go ahead.
“I hope there’s a way that there can be a compromise found in terms of Joanna’s show going ahead."
Cherry has previously said she hoped The Stand’s management would invite her to meet privately so she could explain “her actual views, rather than a distorted version of them”.
Meanwhile, an ex-Tory MSP claimed on Good Morning Scotland that The Stand was acting “unlawfully” on the basis of discrimination against Cherry for her philosophical beliefs.
I asked @HumzaYousaf for his views on the cancellation of @joannaccherry’s planned Fringe show by The Stand - he hopes it will go ahead - and whether he had spoken with her? @LBC @LBCNews pic.twitter.com/jrZwGoHZFY
— @GinaDavidson (@ginadavidsonlbc) May 3, 2023
Yousaf continued: “Look Joanna and I have a difference on a number of issues including the GRR bill that was passed by the Scottish Parliament.
“But I do think it’s important that those views are heard. I think you would fairly accept though that as First Minister I’m not in the habit of telling comedy clubs and other venues what shows they must and must not put on particularly when it’s one of my own MPs that are involved.
“So I hope there’s a compromise situation that allows Joanna’s show to go ahead.”
The Stand’s statement released earlier this week read: “Following extensive discussions with our staff it has become clear that a number of The Stand’s key operational staff, including venue management and box office personnel, were unwilling to work this event.
“As we have previously stated, we will ensure that their views are respected. We will not compel our staff to work on this event and so have concluded that the event is unable to proceed on a properly staffed, safe and legally compliant basis.
“We advised the show producers, Fair Pley Productions, of this operational issue and they advised Joanna Cherry it is no longer possible to host the event in our venue.”
