How Labour 'pressed' cops to give Taylor Swift VVIP protection

They're the elite Met Police unit used to protect everything from royalty to world leaders. But now Labour has been blasted after allegedly pressing Scotland Yard into using them to escort Taylor Swift for the London leg of her Eras Tour.  

The Metropolitan Police was reportedly reluctant to grant the singer, 34, a taxpayer-funded blue-light convoy to her sell-out Wembley show - a service usually served for prime ministers, senior royals and top diplomats.

But Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and London Mayor Sadiq Khan reportedly stepped in to ensure the pop princess was guarded by the Special Escort Group, amid security fears over a failed suicide bomb plot at Swift's Austria gig in August.

The news comes just six months after Prince Harry lost his High Court challenge against the Home Office after losing his right to police protection when he stepped down as a working royal, which included a similar police convoy. 

A High Court judge ruled the Duke of Sussex - who lives in California with his wife Meghan Markle, 43, and their children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three - had 'comprehensively lost' a 'frankly hopeless' bid to appeal against a Home Office decision about his UK security.

Reserved for guarding motorcades carrying members of the Royal Family and world leaders, the high-profile team of elite cops includes armed motorcycle riders equipped with Glock 17 pistols.

Officers from the SEG also escort some of Britain's most dangerous prisoners and are trained in firearms tactics, anti-hijack driving and are often seen riding ahead of motorcades to stop traffic. 

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Billionaire Bad Blood singer Swift and her entourage was seen arriving at her most recent Wembley show with a blue-light police escort.

Meanwhile, 10 top Labour Party members - which included the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and Health Secretary Wes Streeting - bagged free tickets to Swift's gigs, sparking a fierce backlash. 

And as a row rumbles on over why the force was used to protect Swift but not Prince Harry, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy this morning insisted the police escort for the Shake It Off star was not the result of 'undue influence' from top Labour politicians. 

Ms Nandy - who was among high-profile figures from the party to receive free tickets to Swift's Eras tour show - said there was no link between the hospitality they received and Swift's police protection.

'I utterly reject that there's been any kind of wrongdoing or undue influence in this case,' she told Sky News. 

She said the Home Secretary would be involved in discussions around the security risk, particularly given that Swift's shows in Vienna were axed due to the foiled terror attack.

Ms Nandy added: 'When you have major events, whether in London or in other parts of the UK, the Home Secretary will be involved in a conversation where there is a security risk.

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'I also know that she doesn't have the power, nor would she use the power, to insist that any individual got the top level of private security arrangements. That is an operational matter for the police, not for the Government.

'The police made the decision. Ultimately, it is their decision, and nobody else can make it.'

A week after a foiled terror attack plot in Vienna, Austria, against Ms Swift, her mother and manager Andrea reportedly threatened to stop the UK August performances if a Met convoy from Wembley to her hotel was not delivered.

After the SEG's initial refusal, it is understood the office of Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley intervened.

Sources claim Ms Cooper stressed to police that any cancellation would be economically damaging and embarrassing.

But Ms Nandy told Sky News: 'What I can tell you is that neither the Prime Minister nor the Home Secretary, nor the Mayor of London has the power to override the police on this matter. It is an operational decision for the police.

Which Labour figures were bagged free Taylor Swift tickets  

Sir Keir Starmer:  He attended a show in June with wife, Lady Starmer. He received six tickets worth £2,800. The PM has agreed to pay for the tickets.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan: He was gifted six tickets by the Football Association worth £1,164 for August 15 gig. Unlike the PM, Mr Khan has not yet said if he'll pay for the tickets himself.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting: He  was given four tickets worth £1,160. 

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson: She was gifted two tickets worth a total of £522.54. 

Schools Minister Catherine McKinnell: She received two tickets with hospitality worth £2,000

Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury: He was given four tickets with hospitality worth £3,400 in total

Other MPs who bagged free tickets included: Joe Morris, Liam Conlon, Dan Carden and Kim Johnson.

'They can put their own view. That's certainly the case. But you would expect the Home Secretary and the mayor of the city where this event is taking place, given the history of what had just happened in Vienna, to be involved in the conversation about security arrangements.' 

Labour continues to face fierce criticism after 10 of the party's top officials - including the PM - lapped up free tickets to attend Swift's concerts, with many including VIP treatment such as access to a private box, food and drink. 

Among those bagging the freebies included Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, Schools Minister Catherine McKinnell and chief secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones. 

MPs Joe Morris, Liam Conlon, Dan Carden and Kim Johnson were also gifted tickets. 

The PM- dubbed 'Free Gear Keir' amid a scandal the over donations he's received while in Downing Street - later offered to refund the cash value of the £2,800 tickets he accepted in August.

Commenting on the protection given to Ms Swift, ex-Met commander John O'Connor said: '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.'

A Met spokesman 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 Home Office source said: 'This was an operational decision for the police.

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'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.'

A spokeswoman for Sadiq Khan said: 'We don't comment on the Met's security arrangements – they are operational decisions for them.'

Allies insisted the Mayor 'does not interfere in operational decisions by the Met', and had been offered tickets before the security issues arose. They stressed the tickets were not gifted by Swift's team.

It is understood that Mr Khan and Ms Cooper did discuss Swift's security arrangements with the Met, but sources argued that was only to be expected given the foiled attack in Austria.