Editing Peter Gabriel (section)

== Political views ==
Gabriel has been described as one of rock's most political musicians by [[AllMusic]].<ref name="Peter Gabriel AllMusic" /> In 1992, on the 20th anniversary of the [[Bloody Sunday (1972)|Bloody Sunday]] massacre, Gabriel joined [[Peter Hain]], [[Jeremy Corbyn]], [[Tony Benn]], [[Ken Loach]], [[John Pilger]] and [[Adrian Mitchell]] in voicing his support for a demonstration in London calling for British withdrawal from [[Northern Ireland]].<ref name="Julieann Campbell">{{cite book |last=Campbell |first=Julieann |title=Setting The Truth Free: The Inside Story of the Bloody Sunday Justice Campaign|url=https://archive.org/details/settingtruthfree0000camp |url-access=registration |year=2012|publisher=Liberties Press|isbn=978-1-907593-37-6}}</ref>

At the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], he declared his support for the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], which won that election by a landslide after 18 years out of power, led by [[Tony Blair]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4464557.stm|title=Who's backing whom at the election?|publisher=BBC News|date=21 April 2005|access-date=13 April 2011|first=Jenny|last=Matthews|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211132339/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4464557.stm|archive-date=11 February 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1998, he was named in a list of the biggest private financial donors to Labour.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/161057.stm |title='Luvvies' for Labour |publisher=BBC News |date=30 August 1998 |access-date=22 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030918021349/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/161057.stm |archive-date=18 September 2003 |url-status=live }}</ref> He subsequently distanced himself from the Labour government following Blair's support for [[George W. Bush]] and Britain's involvement in the [[Iraq War]], which he strongly opposed.<ref name="New Statesman" /> Gabriel later explained his decision for funding Labour, saying, "after all those years of [[Margaret Thatcher|Thatcher]], that was the only time I've put money into a political party because I wanted to help get rid of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Tory]] government of that time."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thequietus.com/articles/07003-peter-gabriel-interview |title=An Invasion of Privacy: Peter Gabriel Interviewed |work=The Quietus |first=John |last=Doran |date=19 September 2011 |access-date=22 July 2015 |archive-date=9 July 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170709052222/http://thequietus.com/articles/07003-peter-gabriel-interview |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]], Gabriel gave a [[Green Party of England and Wales]] candidate special permission to record a cover of his song "[[Don't Give Up (Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush song)|Don't Give Up]]" for his campaign.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/england/4497761.stm |title=Green candidate sings for votes |publisher=BBC News |date=29 April 2005 |access-date=22 May 2010 |archive-date=20 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120004631/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/vote_2005/england/4497761.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2010, ''[[The Guardian]]'' described Gabriel as "a staunch advocate of [[proportional representation]]".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jun/02/peter-gabriel-scratch-my-back |title=Peter Gabriel: 'It doesn't have anything to do with witchcraft!' |work=The Guardian |date=2 June 2010 |access-date=19 February 2011 |location=London |first=Jude |last=Rogers |author-link=Jude Rogers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221085747/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jun/02/peter-gabriel-scratch-my-back |archive-date=21 December 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2013, he stated that he had become more interested in online petitioning organisations to effect change than traditional party politics.<ref name="New Statesman" />

In 2012, Gabriel condemned the use of his music by the American [[conservative talk radio]] personality [[Rush Limbaugh]] during [[Rush Limbaugh–Sandra Fluke controversy|a controversial segment in which Limbaugh vilified]] [[Georgetown University]] law student [[Sandra Fluke]]. A statement on behalf of Gabriel read: "Peter was appalled to learn that his music was linked to Rush Limbaugh's extraordinary attack on Sandra Fluke. It is obvious from anyone that knows Peter's work that he would never approve such a use. He has asked his representatives to make sure his music is withdrawn and especially from these unfair, aggressive and ignorant comments."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/peter-gabriel-pulls-music-from-rush-limbaugh-show-20120305#ixzz1pQftliJu |title=Peter Gabriel Pulls Music From 'Rush Limbaugh Show' |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=8 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170514181641/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/peter-gabriel-pulls-music-from-rush-limbaugh-show-20120305#ixzz1pQftliJu |archive-date=14 May 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2016, Gabriel supported the UK's continued membership of the [[European Union]] in the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|referendum on the issue]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://petergabriel.com/news/so-in-or-out/ |title=So – In or Out? |publisher=Peter Gabriel |date=22 June 2016 |access-date=2 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202153847/https://petergabriel.com/news/so-in-or-out/ |archive-date=2 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Gabriel has declared his support for the [[two-state solution]] to the [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict]]. In 2014, he contributed songs to a new compilation album to raise funds for humanitarian organisations aiding Palestinian Arabs in [[Gaza Strip|Gaza]]. Gabriel was quoted: "I am certain that Israelis and Palestinians will both benefit from a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. We have watched Palestinians suffer for too long, especially in Gaza. I am not, and never was, anti-Israeli or [[Antisemitism|anti-Semitic]], but I oppose the policy of the Israeli government, oppose injustice and oppose the occupation ... I am proud to be one of the voices asking the Israeli government: 'Where is the two-state solution that you wanted so much?' and clearly say that enough is enough."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/187259#.Vc2YcflVhHw |title=Musician Peter Gabriel: I'm Not Anti-Israel, I'm Anti-Occupation |work=Israel National News |first=Ben |last=Ariel |date=10 November 2014 |access-date=14 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905174434/http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/187259#.Vc2YcflVhHw |archive-date=5 September 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2019, Gabriel was among 50 artists who urged the [[BBC]] to ask for the [[Eurovision Song Contest]] to be moved out of Israel, citing human rights concerns.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47054756 |title=Stars urge BBC to ask for Eurovision to be moved out of Israel |publisher=BBC News |first=Mark |last=Savage |date=30 January 2019 |access-date=2 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507160856/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47054756 |archive-date=7 May 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2023, Gabriel signed the [[Artists4Ceasefire]] open letter to President [[Joe Biden]] calling for a ceasefire during the [[Gaza war|Israeli bombardment of Gaza]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Artists4Ceasefire |url=https://www.artists4ceasefire.org/ |access-date=2023-12-11 |website=Artists4Ceasefire |language=en-US}}</ref>

Gabriel has been in support of the [[Armenian genocide]] recognition.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mouradian |first=Khatchig |title=Peter Gabriel Stresses Importance of Armenian Genocide Recognition |url=https://armenianweekly.com/2009/03/06/peter-gabriel-stresses-importance-of-armenian-genocide-recognition/ |work=Armenian Weekly |access-date=16 October 2020 |date=6 March 2009 |archive-date=17 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017044832/https://armenianweekly.com/2009/03/06/peter-gabriel-stresses-importance-of-armenian-genocide-recognition/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In October 2020, he posted a message on social media in support of [[Armenia]] and [[Republic of Artsakh|Artsakh]] in regards to the [[2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict|Nagorno-Karabakh war]]. He said, "The fighting that has now broken out between Azerbaijan and Armenia is really horrific and we need to lobby whoever we can to encourage a ceasefire, but hearing reports that President [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan|Erdoğan]] has now lined up 80,000 Turkish troops on the Armenian border is a terrifying prospect, full of the dark echoes of history."<ref>{{cite web |date=7 October 2020 |title=Peter Gabriel on the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict |url=https://en.168.am/2020/10/07/39778.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018174646/https://en.168.am/2020/10/07/39778.html |archive-date=18 October 2020 |access-date=16 October 2020 |website=en.168.am}}</ref>