A PERFORMANCE by the National Health Singers at the Farnham Spring Festival was cut short on Sunday for being “overly political”.

The choir of health care professionals, which came together in the wake of the junior doctor strikes, were invited to perform for half an hour on the main stage in Gostrey Meadow following the Rock choir.

However, after singing derogatory songs about Conservative parliamentary candidate and health secretary Jeremy Hunt, their microphones were abruptly turned off and the group asked to exit the stage.

Conductor Rishi Dhir said: “The choir were cut after their second song with no warning (the mics were cut) and in full view of the audience.

“We were told by the organiser that he had ‘received orders above his pay grade’ despite the chorus of disapproval from the crowd and these orders had come from the partisan council and Conservative mayor, Mike Hodge.

“We found the whole experience unpleasant and humiliating and an example of censorship at its greatest and stage management on a whole new level.”

Responding, town clerk Iain Lynch explained that the Farnham Spring Festival is run by the town council, which is currently in the ‘purdah’ pre-election period and cannot be seen to endorse any one political candidate.

He added the group was asked before going on stage not to sing anything political, and left officers with no choice when they flouted this request.