Harriman, who has served as Chair of the Southbank Centre since 2021, has come under sustained attack from newspapers including The Telegraph and the Daily Mail. Coverage in those titles has centred on social media posts he shared following the Golders Green attacks in April, as well as a video reflecting on the recent rise of Reform UK in local elections.

In particular, articles accused him of promoting “conspiracy” narratives about the attack after he questioned why early reporting focused on two Jewish victims but gave less attention to a Muslim man who had also been stabbed earlier that day.
Separate coverage suggested he had compared Reform voters to the Nazis, based on a short clip of a longer video in which he quoted writer Susan Sontag on human behaviour during the Holocaust.

Harriman has strongly rejected those interpretations, stating that his comments were edited and taken out of context.

The situation has quickly escalated beyond media coverage. Senior politicians have called for formal scrutiny of his role at the Southbank Centre, a publicly funded cultural institution. Shadow Culture Secretary Nigel Huddleston has urged the government to investigate Harriman’s position and even review the organisation’s funding.
Meanwhile, other political figures have gone further, with Reform MP Robert Jenrick calling for his removal altogether.
The Charity Commission has also confirmed it is assessing concerns raised in the media about his conduct as a trustee.

For many in the creative community, this combination of media pressure and political response crosses a line.

In direct response, an open letter organised by the Good Law Project has brought together hundreds of voices from across music, film, art and literature. It describes the coverage as a “dishonest smear campaign” led by The Telegraph and the Daily Mail, and warns that such attacks are designed to silence those who speak out on global issues.

At the centre of that response is Annie Lennox. Her support is both visible and consistent. Harriman has long been aligned with campaigns close to her work, often seen supporting her Global Feminist movement, and he was present at her SISTSERS concert in London, where he photographed the audience and documented the atmosphere of the event.

The list of supporters reflects that shared community. Artists who stood alongside Annie at SISTSERS, including Hozier and Paloma Faith, have signed the letter. Others connected to the wider Together For Palestine movement, where Annie contributed her powerful re recording of “Why”, are also represented, including Brian Eno and Paul Weller.

Across the wider campaign, more than 200 public figures and tens of thousands of members of the public have added their names, while complaints against the press coverage have reached record levels, with over 80,000 submissions made to the UK media regulator.

For Annie Lennox, the decision to stand with Harriman is part of a long and consistent pattern. She has always used her platform to defend human rights, challenge injustice and support those who speak up for others. In this case, that support also reflects a personal connection built through shared campaigns and creative collaboration.

The open letter itself is clear in its message. It argues that criticism of governments or global events must not be misrepresented as hate, and that attempts to discredit individuals in this way risk damaging the foundations of free expression in a democratic society.

At its heart, this is not just about one individual. It is about the right of artists, activists and cultural leaders to speak openly without fear of being misrepresented or pushed aside.

Those who agree are being asked to take a simple step.

Sign the open letter. Stand in solidarity with Misan Harriman.