Top Labour politicians accused of pressuring police to give Taylor Swift escort to London gigs
by Kit Heren · LBCBy Kit Heren
Senior Labour politicians are accused of pressuring the Met police to give Taylor Swift an escort to her concerts.
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Swift played six dates at Wembley stadium in June and August this year as part of her world tour.
The August dates came just a week after a terrorist plot was foiled in Vienna.
Blue light escorts are expensive and are usually reserved for royals and senior politicians.
The Met is said to have been reluctant to give Swift the escort, but London mayor Sadiq Khan and Yvette Cooper intervened, the Sun reported.
The Met insisted that it made any operational decisions independently. Mr Khan's office declined to comment.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told LBC's Nick Ferrari that it was "absolutely right" that politicians got involved with the decision.
Lisa Nandy on Taylor Swift police escort
Swift's mother is said to have demanded the motorcycle escort for her and her daughter, 34, despite there being no threat against them in London.
Police were not armed in this case, unlike the usual Special Escort Group (SEG) operations.
The pop star later thanked officers for their help, saying: “We commend the police for their work to ensure these events went off smoothly and safely.”
A former senior police officer said the escort was an "abuse" of the service.
John Connor, a former Met chief, told the paper: "Police should be left alone to make operational decisions.
"This interference creates a perception there is no such thing as a free lunch or concert tickets.
"The Met is unable to provide security for Prince Harry but he must be in at least as much danger as Taylor Swift.
"The SEG is dedicated to the very serious business of protecting the Royal Family, senior government ministers and foreign heads of state. This is an abuse of an elite service.”
The Met said: “The Met is operationally independent.
"Our decision-making is based on a thorough assessment of threat, risk and harm and circumstances of each case.”
A spokesman for the Mayor said: “We don’t comment on the Met’s security arrangements.”
A Home Office source told the paper: "This was an operational decision for the police.
"Of course, when events of this scale take place you would expect the Government, the Mayor's office and the Met Police to work together to ensure they can be held safely and securely."
Ms Nandy told Nick that the mayor and the government do not have the power to intervene in the Met's operational decisions.
But she added: "In my view, I have to say it is absolutely right for the mayor of the city where a major event is being held, and the Home Secretary, to get involved where there are security concerns.
"I know this Home Secretary takes that really seriously."
Several Labour politicians were given free tickets to Swift's shows, including Mr Khan and PM Keir Starmer. Starmer said he would pay back his tickets to August shows.