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.
“We have been speaking to a lot of residents who, to borrow some words from Taylor Swift, feel there’s ‘bad blood’ with this Labour Government and its scrounging MPs. Joe will want to ‘shake it off’ but residents won’t forgive this betrayal.”
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.
Education Secretary and Houghton and Sunderland South MP Bridget Phillipson has also been forced to defend herself over a donation of £14,000 from a Labour peer. She told Sky News it was “declared properly and thoroughly”.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel