Sheku Kanneh-Mason: Apology after cellist's passport cancelled

The Home Office has apologised to a former BBC young musician of the year whose passport was accidentally cancelled.

Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who played at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding, applied for a second passport for international work permits.

But in the application his passport was cancelled with "no explanation".

The Home Office said it apologised for the "human error" and has issued him a replacement passport.

The Nottingham-born musician wrote on Facebook that he and his sister Isata, who is also a classical musician, "applied for an additional British passport with the approval of [the] Home Office to assist with applications for visas and international work permits".

In his Facebook post, the 22-year-old wrote the post-Brexit landscape and Covid had contributed to the need for a second passport.

The Home Office grants people more than one passport if they require multiple visas to travel on business, and if they are frequent travellers.

Despite his sister receiving her second passport, and original documentation within a week, Mr Kanneh-Mason said his was cancelled.

Mr Kanneh-Mason, who was appointed an MBE in the New Year Honours in 2020, wrote: "Since then, despite constant calls I have no explanation, no forthcoming assistance and no way of playing the engagements I am contracted to play."

He has since posted a photograph online of the new passport he has been issued, adding: "Thank you for all your help and support".

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We apologise to Mr Kanneh-Mason for any inconvenience caused as a result of this incident, which was due to human error.

"We have now issued him with a replacement passport."

In January, Mr Kanneh-Mason was one of 110 musicians to sign an open letter to the government demanding action to ensure visa-free touring in the European Union.

The letter, which was signed by Elton John and Liam Gallagher, said artists had been "shamefully failed" by the government over post-Brexit travel rules for UK musicians.

The government said the signatories should be asking the EU why they "rejected the sensible UK proposal".

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].