US pop star Taylor Swift received a special police escort during her London concerts following the cancellation of three shows in Vienna due to an alleged suicide attack plot.
Culture Minister Lisa Nandy refuted claims that Swift was given preferential treatment after reports emerged of her receiving a motorbike escort, typically reserved for royalty and senior politicians.
Nandy’s statement comes as the new Labour government faces criticism for accepting free gifts, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who reportedly received six tickets to Swift’s concert. Starmer later repaid the value of the tickets, alongside other gifts, after public scrutiny.
Nandy emphasized that the police escort, first reported by The Sun, was not due to political pressure. “There was no wrongdoing or undue influence,” she told Sky News, explaining that decisions regarding security are handled independently by the police, not government officials.
Interior Minister Yvette Cooper also denied influencing security arrangements, asserting that the Metropolitan Police made the decision based solely on a risk assessment.
Several Labour politicians, including Education Minister Bridget Phillipson, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and Nandy herself, were reported to have attended the “Eras” tour with complimentary tickets.
Swift’s tour wrapped up its European leg in London in August, following a dozen shows across Europe. However, the tour’s final month was marred by a thwarted terrorist attack in Austria, where Islamic State sympathizers planned an attack on Swift’s Vienna concert. Three suspects were arrested, and all August dates in Vienna were cancelled following a US intelligence-assisted investigation.
The Sun reported that Swift’s mother and manager had threatened to cancel the London performances unless a police escort was provided, citing safety concerns. The Metropolitan Police, however, maintained that all security decisions were based on independent assessments of risk.
Swift’s tour was estimated to contribute nearly £1 billion ($1.3 billion) to the UK economy, according to a Barclays study dubbed “Swiftonomics.”
