Yvette Cooper enjoyed free tickets to Taylor Swift gig after pushing for star to get police escort

[dutchman]

Ms Cooper went as a guest of her husband Ed Balls, who was given four tickets for 16 August gig after Swift's shows in Vienna were cancelled and extra security was agreed in London



Home Secretary Yvette Cooper attended Taylor Swift's concert in London for free using tickets provided to her husband by the megastar's music label Universal, Sky News can reveal.

Ms Cooper went to one of the gigs where the star was given extra police protection, which she is claimed to have been pushing for.

The home secretary went as a guest of her husband, former Labour minister Ed Balls.

Mr Balls was offered the four tickets on 4 August, before Swift's shows in Vienna were cancelled after a terror plot was foiled, and the couple attended the gig on 16 August after the security discussions.

Ms Cooper and London Mayor Sadiq Khan spoke to the Metropolitan Police to encourage them to give the megastar a "VVIP escort" through London for her Wembley Stadium concerts.

The Met were reportedly reluctant to sign it off as a blue-light escort is typically reserved for senior members of the Royal Family and high-level politicians, as it comes at huge expense to the taxpayer, The Sun reported.

No information about the tickets has appeared in the public domain until today.

The tickets were understood to be worth £170 - less than the £300 that would make it a declarable expense - but the home secretary made the declaration to the Cabinet Office earlier today.

Tory MP Stuart Anderson said on X that Ms Cooper's decision to attend the concert was "outrageous and raises some serious questions".

Sky News understands the Home Office department was informed as soon as the tickets were offered and the permanent secretary's office informed the Cabinet Office on 23 September. At this point there was concern that the Commons Parliamentary commissioner was not willing to make it public.

It also understood the home secretary's team had been liaising with their permanent secretary's office about this for the last week or so.

[rebbonk]

The stench of sleaze just continues to ooze from the current administration.