Prime Minister met Taylor Swift AFTER police ‘pressured’ over escort
Sir Keir Starmer met Taylor Swift after police were ‘pressured’ into giving her a blue-light escort.
The Prime Minister’s role in the ‘Taylorgate’ row deepened as it emerged he and his family were introduced to the US pop star.
Sir Keir had a ten-minute chat with Ms Swift and her mother backstage after accepting four free tickets to her sellout Eras tour in August.
It has sparked further calls for an investigation into how much ‘political influence’ his ministers wielded to authorise Ms Swift’s royal-style police escort.
Downing Street initially refused to say if the PM had met Ms Swift when she performed at Wembley.
The Prime Minister’s role in the ‘Taylorgate’ row deepened tonight as it emerged Sir Keir Starmer and his family were introduced to US pop star Taylor Swift while performing in the UK
Sir Keir had a ten-minute chat with Ms Swift and her mother backstage after accepting four free tickets to her sellout Eras tour in August, it has emerged. Pictured: Swift performing at Wembley in August
Sources have revealed Sir Keir, and his wife Victoria (pictured), were granted a private audience on August 20 – the final night of Swift’s tour – after he received £2,800 of tickets and hospitality from her record label Universal
Downing Street initially refused to say if the PM had met Swift when she appeared at Wembley
Sir Keir received four tickets and hospitality, worth £2,800, to Swift’s gig on 20 August at Wembley from Universal Music Group
But sources today revealed they were granted a private audience on August 20 – the final night of her tour – after Sir Keir received £2,800 of tickets and hospitality from her record label Universal.
It came just days after the PM’s now-sacked chief of staff Sue Gray took part in negotiations with Ms Swift’s mother and manager, Andrea, which led to Scotland Yard agreeing to provide a ‘VVIP’ escort.
No 10 insiders said Sir Keir and the singer, 34, did not discuss security when they met and talked about the horrific murder of three young girls at a Swift-themed dance class in Southport the previous month.
Sources also pointed out that Universal, the world’s biggest music company, is a business in the PM’s north London constituency with its UK office in King’s Cross.
But Susan Hall, chairman of the police and crime committee on the London Assembly, said: ‘The public deserves answers. How much political influence did the Government place on our police?
‘They should answer to an independent inquiry, which I have called for, urgently.’
Shadow paymaster general John Glen told the Mail: ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the Prime Minister was transparent with the public about his freebies and which pop stars he spends time with?
‘He said he wanted a new era of clean government – this doesn’t feel like it.’
Tory MP Louie French said: ‘Sir Keir needs to come clean and explain how he got these tickets and backstage VIP access after his Government tore up the protocols so they could provide a police escort to a billionaire celebrity.’
Confirmation of the meeting between Sir Keir and Ms Swift only came after 6pm, with Downing Street refusing to answer journalists’ questions for several hours.
At a meeting earlier in the afternoon, a No 10 spokesman repeatedly insisted: ‘I don’t have any updates.’
Downing Street defended the talks between ministers and Scotland Yard over Ms Swift’s security, pointing out that she had cancelled three concerts in Austria earlier in August due to a foiled terror plot.
The spokesman added: ‘It is right that the Government has dialogue with the police when it comes to the management of major events such as this, and particularly in light of public concern around these events following widespread reporting of a plot overseas.
Downing Street defended the talks between ministers and Scotland Yard over Ms Swift’s security, pointing out that she had cancelled three concerts in Austria earlier in August due to a foiled terror plot
Fresh questions were raised amid reports that Sue Gray, the PM’s ex- chief of staff, negotiated directly with Swift’s mother Andrea over security
‘It is right that the Government is sufficiently reassured in the arrangements.’
Asked earlier if Sir Keir had been given the tickets as a ‘thank you’, the spokesman ‘completely rejected’ the suggestion.
They added that the Metropolitan Police had made the final call to grant Ms Swift a blue-light escort despite senior officers initially turning down the request.
Earlier this month the PM paid back £6,000 of gifts and hospitality he has received since taking office.
These included the £2,800 tickets he received in August, as well as £598 tickets to another of her concerts that month, which he was given by the Football Association and were ‘accepted by family members’.
But other ministers have not followed suit and Sir Keir has not repaid any of the freebies he received before the election including £32,000 worth of clothes from Labour donor Lord Alli.
He also got ‘four tickets with hospitality’ to see Ms Swift, worth £4,000, from the Football Association in June, before the Election.
At the time, he posted a photograph of himself and his wife Lady Starmer at Wembley Stadium with the caption: ‘Swift campaign pitstop.’
Ten other Labour MPs said they also received free tickets to see Ms Swift, including Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
Scotland Yard said: ‘The Met is operationally independent. Our decision-making is based on a thorough assessment of threat, risk and harm and the circumstances of each case.’
The spokesman added that they ‘don’t comment on the specific details’ of security arrangements.
