SEVERAL internationally-renowned poets were denied UK entry to perform at this year’s Ledbury Poetry Festival after falling victim to harsh new Home Office rules.

An Indonesian and two Moroccan poets were forced to pull-out of performances at the last minute after being refused visas.

Festival director Chloe Garner said: “I’m devastated, this is hugely embarrassing for the festival. These new regulations make it almost impossible to for us to programme international poets. I feel ashamed that the UK is effectively becoming a fortress.” Dorothea Rosa Herliany, described as one of the most important poets writing in Indonesia today, was turned down over concerns she was not a “genuine visitor”, that she did not intend to leave the UK at the end of her visit, that she may intend to “take employment or produce goods or provide services”.

Festival organisers eventually managed to have the decision overturned. However, she had been due to perform the day before the decision was made.

Moroccan poets Hassan Najmi and Widad Benmoussa were to appear in the Moroccan Poetry and Food event. Mr Najmi, who is director general of the book and publications department of Morocco’s Ministry of Culture, was made to attend a face-to-face interview, scheduled the day before his appearance. Widad Benmoussa arrived with the relevant documents. She was told she needed further documentation and a new interview date was set. This was after her scheduled appearance.