Police say there will be no further action over Jo Brand joke

The comedian was reported over an allegation of incitement to violence after comments made on Radio 4 programme Heresy after Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage criticised the joke.

Brand apologised for the joke, calling it “crass and ill-judged”. However, police have now said she will face no further action.

In a statement, Scotland Yard said: “Police received an allegation of incitement to violence on 13 June, relating to comments made on a radio programme.

“The referral has been considered by the MPS and no further police action will be taken in relation to this allegation.”

Farage – who had a milkshake thrown at him while campaigning in Newcastle – accused Brand of inciting violence, although he did not say who against.

Commenting again on Twitter, he said: “I am sick to death of overpaid, left-wing, so-called comedians on the BBC who think their view is morally superior.

“Can you imagine the reaction if I had said the same thing as Jo Brand?”

The news comes as David Baddiel, who created Heresy, said the BBC was wrong to edit the joke out of a repeat of the programme.

Speaking to Newsnight, he said: “I don’t think I would have nipped it out. Morally wrong? I’m not sure. I think they’re just trying not to cause trouble.

“The BBC are still to some extent the aunty of the nation and they don’t like trouble. Even though they did commission a show, Heresy, that was designed to push the boundaries of what people might think and say.

“If it was up to me, I would have kept that line in for the repeat. Apart from anything, it’s a bit silly when it’s had massive coverage to cut it out – that looks a bit cowardly.”