PALESTINE campaigners celebrated a “huge” victory at the weekend after Barclays bank was forced to pull out of sponsorship of music festivals across Britain.

Dozens of performers said they would not play at festivals sponsored by Barclays, including Isle of Wight, Download and Latitude, over the bank’s involvement with arms firms supplying Israel.

The withdrawal was claimed as evidence of the success of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign which was instigated by Palestinian groups.