Hexham MP under fire for accepting £1600 tickets to sold out Taylor Swift gig
A Northumberland MP has come under fire for accepting two tickets to a sold-out Taylor Swift concert at Wembley worth an eye-watering £1,660.
A Northumberland MP has come under fire for accepting two tickets to a sold-out Taylor Swift concert at Wembley worth an eye-watering £1,660.
Newly elected Hexham MP Joe Morris was gifted two tickets to the sold-out Eras Tour gig at Wembley Stadium on August 20. According to Parliament’s register of interests, the tickets were gifted to Mr Morris by the Premier League.
It comes as a string of senior Labour figures including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner have been criticised over high-value donations from key Labour Party donors. The timing of the gifts was criticised by Tories in Northumberland, with the party pointing to the controversial decision to end winter fuel payments for most pensioners.
A Northumberland Conservatives spokesman said: “Since the election this Labour government has been rocked by one scandal after another. Hexham Labour MP Joe Morris is now embroiled in this mess, more interested in expensive gifts than the people he represents.
“These Taylor Swift tickets cost £1,660, that’s the same as nearly eight weeks income for some of the pensioners Joe cruelly voted to strip of their winter fuel payments. They now have the choice between heating and eating whilst Joe hoovers up freebies.
Responding to the criticism, a spokesperson for Joe Morris MP said: “All donations are declared fully in line with parliamentary rules and procedures.”
Mr Morris was one of five Labour MPs alongside Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey to accept tickets and hospitality to watch the US superstar perform in the capital. Previously, the Prime Minister had received four hospitality tickets worth £4,000 to see Swift perform at the O2 in June.