October 15th 2024.
Keir Starmer was lucky enough to meet the famous pop singer, Taylor Swift, backstage at one of her concerts in August. He was given four tickets worth £2,800 to her performance at Wembley, thanks to his former chief of staff, Sue Grey. She had negotiated a police escort for Swift due to security concerns. However, the police initially refused to provide the escort, which is usually reserved for royals and senior foreign diplomats. But reportedly, they eventually gave in after receiving orders from Starmer's team.
Interestingly, the Prime Minister was also offered tickets to the show by Universal Music, a record label based in his constituency of Holborn and St Pancras. Starmer and his wife attended the concert, which was part of Swift's Eras Tour, after gratefully accepting the free tickets from the label. It is believed that these tickets were a way of thanking Starmer for securing the police escort for Swift. However, Number 10 has refused to confirm or deny this.
After the show, Starmer and his wife had the opportunity to meet Swift and her mother, Andrea. They reportedly had a ten-minute conversation, during which they talked about the recent Southport attacks that took place at a children's dance class. Andrea, who also acts as her daughter's manager, apparently threatened to cancel the Wembley shows if the police escort was not provided, according to the Sun. The BBC has also confirmed that senior members of Starmer's team had been in contact with Swift's management regarding her security arrangements, following an attempted terror attack at one of her shows in Austria.
A spokesperson from Downing Street stated that it is important for the government to have conversations and dialogue about security arrangements for major events, to ensure they run smoothly and safely. When asked about a potential conflict of interest, the spokesperson rejected the idea, stating that it is ultimately up to the police to make operational decisions regarding security at these events. They emphasized that the Metropolitan Police is responsible for these decisions.
During their conversation, Swift and Starmer apparently discussed the Southport attacks, which shows the seriousness of the issue and the importance of proper security measures. Other Labour politicians who also received free tickets to Swift's concerts in recent months include chief secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones, and Liam Conlon, the newly-elected MP for Beckenham and Penge, who is also the son of Starmer's former chief of staff, Sue Gray. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, also received free tickets to the show.
However, in the midst of a scandal surrounding politicians accepting freebies, Starmer later paid back the cost of the tickets, along with around £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality from the private sector. Sarah Jones, the industry minister, explained that the Prime Minister's motivation for repaying the money was to regain the trust of the public. It just goes to show the importance of transparency and accountability in the world of politics.
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