Mumford & Son’s Winston Marshall has today (24 July 2021) announced he is quitting the band after facing backlash on Twitter earlier this year.
The 33-year-old’s departure comes just three months after he described, in a since-deleted Tweet, controversial journalist Andy Ngo’s latest book as “important.” The musician was quickly in the firing line of what he has now described as “libellous” headlines and an onslaught of furious online commentary.
Reminiscing of his “exhilarating” time in the band, the banjo player made the revelation via a Medium post entitled “Why I’m Leaving Mumford & Sons.” He wrote: “At the beginning of March I tweeted to American journalist Andy Ngo, author of the New York Times Bestseller, Unmasked. “Congratulations @MrAndyNgo. Finally had the time to read your important book. You’re a brave man”. Posting about books had been a theme of my social-media throughout the pandemic. I believed this tweet to be as innocuous as the others. How wrong I turned out to be. Over the course of 24 hours it was trending with tens of thousands of angry retweets and comments. I failed to foresee that my commenting on a book critical of the Far-Left could be interpreted as approval of the equally abhorrent Far-Right.”
He continued: “I’ve had plenty of abuse over the years. I’m a banjo player after all. But this was another level. And, owing to our association, my friends, my bandmates, were getting it too. It took me more than a moment to understand how distressing this was for them.”
Citing cancel culture, Churchill and clarifying his controversial actions, the musician concluded that he will continue to speak and write on various challenging issues, as well as working with his non-profit organisation Hong Kong Link Up. “For me to speak about what I’ve learnt to be such a controversial issue will inevitably bring my bandmates more trouble. My love, loyalty and accountability to them cannot permit that. I could remain and continue to self-censor but it will erode my sense of integrity. Gnaw my conscience. I’ve already felt that beginning. The only way forward for me is to leave the band. I hope in distancing myself from them I am able to speak my mind without them suffering the consequences. I leave with love in my heart and I wish those three boys nothing but the best. I have no doubt that their stars will shine long into the future,” he wrote.
The remaining members of Mumford & Sons, Marcus, Ben and Ted; wrote on Instagram: “We wish you all the best for the future, Win, and we love you man,” alongside a picture of the group posed on the bank of the River Hudson at Pier A Park in Hoboken, New Jersey. Meanwhile, fans have commented on their support and sadness at Marshall’s departure.
