Nick Cohen, writing in "The Spectator", accused the Tricycle of inconsistency, as other groups' or events' funding had not, he claimed, previously been examined in this way. Cohen also pointed out that the theatre accepted Arts Council funding during times that the UK was actively involved in military conflicts. In an editorial, "The Guardian" said that the theatre had made "a bad error of judgment". Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport was reported as saying that the theatre had been "misguided" in demanding the festival drop its sponsorship by the Israeli Embassy.