A STATEMENT has been released by The Stand Comedy Club after a live discussion with Joanna Cherry at the venue was called off.
The SNP MP was due to appear at the Edinburgh venue on August 10 as part of a series of discussions with various high-profile Scots for the Fringe including Anas Sarwar and Bobby Bluebell.
But reports claimed staff were not comfortable working at the event, forcing its cancellation.
The Stand has now confirmed key operational staff, including venue management and box office personnel, are unwilling to work but has not specified why.
Its statement says staff would not be forced to work and so the event has been pulled.
The Stand said: “Further to our previous policy statement on this matter, 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, are unwilling to work on 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 the event is unable to proceed on a properly staffed, safe and legally compliant basis.
“We advised the show’s producers, Fair Pley Productions, of this operational issue and they advised Joanna Cherry that it is no longer possible to host the event in our venue.”
According to The Times, staff members’ concerns over Cherry’s gender-critical views could not be alleviated.
On the cancellation, Cherry said: “What does it say about the Fringe and Edinburgh, the home of the enlightenment, when an elected Edinburgh politician can’t be asked questions on stage in the city they represent?”
It comes after trans comedian Bethany Black called off a show at The Stand’s sister venue in Glasgow because of Cherry’s scheduled appearance.
