LONDON: US pop superstar Taylor Swift received a police motorbike escort for her London concerts after an alleged terror plot in Austria forced the cancellation of her shows in Vienna.
However, UK Culture Minister Lisa Nandy has denied that Swift was given preferential treatment, despite claims that her police escort was typically reserved for royalty and senior politicians.
Reports of the special treatment emerged after the Labour government faced criticism for accepting free gifts, including six tickets to Swift’s concert given to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Starmer, who attended the show with his wife, Victoria, announced last week that he had repaid the value of the tickets and other gifts amid growing public scrutiny.
Nandy, responding to the controversy, rejected accusations of undue influence over the police escort decision. “I utterly reject that there’s been any kind of wrongdoing or undue influence in this case,” she told Sky News.
Nandy emphasized that the decision to provide security for Swift was an “operational matter for the police,” not something directed by government officials.
Labour politicians, including Education Minister Bridget Phillipson, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and Nandy herself, were also present at Swift’s “Eras” tour shows in London, enjoying complimentary tickets.
The European leg of Swift’s tour, which concluded in London in August, was overshadowed by a foiled terror plot in Austria.
Authorities in Vienna canceled Swift’s concerts there after uncovering a plan to carry out a suicide attack. Three suspects were arrested, and the investigation was supported by US intelligence services.
According to The Sun, Swift’s team, including her mother and manager, had threatened to cancel the London shows unless a police escort was arranged for her safety.
However, the Metropolitan Police dismissed the allegations, stating that all decisions were made independently based on a “thorough assessment of threat, risk and harm.”
