Lisa Nandy denies police escort ‘undue influence’

A police escort for Taylor Swift was not the result of “undue influence” from senior politicians attending the singer’s London concerts, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has said.

The decision was made by senior police officers, although Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan were involved in talks about security around the US superstar’s shows over the summer, Nandy said.

Swift was given a motorbike convoy to protect her on the way to Wembley despite initial police reservations, the Sun reported.

Senior Labour politicians including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Khan and Nandy were given free tickets to Eras Tour shows.

“I utterly reject that there’s been any kind of wrongdoing or undue influence in this case,” Nandy told Sky News.

She said the home secretary would be involved in discussions around any security risks, particularly given that Swift’s shows in Vienna were cancelled in August because of a terror threat.

Nandy told Sky News: “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.”

She said: “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.”

The Sun reported that the Metropolitan Police’s special escort group had initially been reluctant to give Swift the kind of protection normally reserved for senior royalty and politicians.

Ms Nandy added: “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.

“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.”

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said the force was “operationally independent”.

“Our decision-making is based on a thorough assessment of threat, risk and harm and the circumstances of each case,” the spokesperson said.

The force added it would not comment on specific details of security arrangements.

A Home Office spokesperson reiterated the Met Police’s operational independence but said the mayor and home secretary would be involved in conversations on large-scale events.

The spokesperson also quoted Swift’s remarks after the foiled Vienna terror plot: “I decided that all of my energy had to go toward helping to protect the nearly half a million people I had coming to see the shows in London.

“My team and I worked hand in hand with stadium staff and British authorities every day in pursuit of that goal, and I want to thank them for everything they did for us.”

The singer held three shows at Wembley Stadium in June and five in August.

City Hall said it would not comment on the Met’s security arrangements.

The prime minister has paid back almost £3,400 for four Taylor Swift tickets donated by Universal Music Group and two by the Football Association.