Robbie Williams has been slammed by a Government minister for saying Internet piracy was “great”.
Culture minister Kim Howells accused the singer of supporting drug and prostitution.
Mr Howells said he was “appalled” at the chart-topping star’s comments which amounted to “defending theft”.
Williams – whose album Escapology was last year’s biggest seller in the UK – made his remarks at a music conference in Cannes.
He is reported to have said of Internet piracy: “I think it’s great, really I do. There is nothing anyone can do about it.
“I am sure my record label would hate me saying it, and my manager and my accountants.”
Mr Howells said: “Williams should not be defending theft, and this is real theft.
“It is the equivalent of going into a record store and shoplifting the material on sale. I hope that musicians everywhere will condemn his statement.
“He should also realise that many of these pirate operations are linked to organised crime on a worldwide basis,” he told Guardian Unlimited.
Williams said he spoke to the heads of record labels about online piracy when he discussed his new £80m record deal last year but found they “don’t know what to do about it”.
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