Security Over Scandal: Angela Rayner Defends Taylor Swift’s London Police Escort Amid Concert Threats

Angela Rayner has stated that the police escort provided for Taylor Swift in London was essential for her safety. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and London Mayor Sadiq Khan reportedly discussed Swift's security with the police, following the disruption of a bomb plot in Vienna targeting her Eras tour just days before her concerts.

Political journalist @alixculbertson

Thursday, October 10, 2024, 12:

Angela Rayner has justified the decision to provide Taylor Swift with a police escort in London, emphasizing the importance of ensuring her safety.

The Deputy Prime Minister refuted claims that top Labour officials, such as the Home Secretary and the Mayor of London, received tickets to Swift's August concerts in the city as a trade-off for police security.

Ms. Rayner echoed the sentiments of her fellow Labour colleagues in stating that the choice to provide the celebrity with a police escort was an "operational decision" made by the Metropolitan Police.

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"She firmly denied any link between the incident and someone attending a concert."

She attributed the cancellation of Swift's Vienna concerts to a thwarted terrorist plot that aimed to claim the lives of tens of thousands of her fans.

"She emphasized the importance of ensuring the individual's safety, clarifying that it was a matter for the police to handle, not politicians. 'It was the police who made the decision,' she stated."

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"It's appropriate for them to make the choice. I completely back them in this."

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Ms. Rayner mentioned that the police security was crucial for allowing Swift to proceed with her concerts, which significantly boosted the local economy and helped small businesses that depend on such events.

According to Sky News on Wednesday, Ms. Cooper attended a Swift concert as a guest of her husband, Ed Balls, a former Labour MP, who received complimentary tickets from Swift’s label, Universal.

Mr. Balls received the offer of four tickets on August 4, prior to the cancellation of Swift’s Vienna concerts, and he and his partner went to the concert on August 16, following discussions about security.

Ms. Cooper and London's Mayor, Sadiq Khan, engaged in discussions with the Metropolitan Police, urging them to provide an exceptionally high-level escort for the celebrity during her concerts at Wembley Stadium.

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According to The Sun, the Metropolitan Police were hesitant to approve the use of a blue-light escort, which is generally allocated for high-ranking royals and top politicians, due to the significant cost it incurs for taxpayers.

Details regarding the tickets were not made public until Wednesday.

It was believed that the tickets were valued at £170, which is below the £300 threshold requiring declaration, yet the home secretary still reported them to the Cabinet Office on Wednesday.

Sky News has learned that the Home Office was promptly notified upon the receipt of the ticket offers, and the office of the permanent secretary relayed this information to the Cabinet Office on September 23. At that time, there were reservations about the Commons Parliamentary commissioner's readiness to disclose this information to the public.

It is also known that the team of the Home Secretary has been in communication with the office of their Permanent Secretary for about the past week.

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