Published On: Sun, Sep 22nd, 2024
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Bridget Phillipson squirms when asked about Taylor Swift freebie | Politics | News


Bridget Phillipson looked as if she was about to implode while being quizzed about her accepting free tickets to a Taylor Swift concert.

The Education Secretary squirmed and at times appeared to smirk as she sought to shake off taking the freebie to see the winger superstar at Wembley on August 15. The tickets were declared as worth £522.54.

Ms Phillipson, who it is understood is paid a six-figure salary, said: “I’ll be honest – it was a hard one to turn down.

“I appreciate there was big demand for the tickets. It was a privilege to be there.”

She then told ITV News: “One of my children was keen to go along. It’s hard to say no if you’re offered tickets in those circumstances.

“But it was declared. I’ve been clear about that, but I do recognise that I’m in a fortunate position to be able to receive it.”

This latest attempt to defend herself comes after the Education Secretary sought to defend using money from Labour peer Lord Waheed Alli to fund a reception to mark her 40th birthday, saying it was “in a work context” with guests including journalists and trade unionists and “education people”.

The row over Labour MPs’ freebies from wealthy donors is threatening to overshadow the party’s annual conference in Liverpool. Left-wing MP Diane Abbott, who only recently had the whip restored by the party, claimed on Saturday that Labour “is in the pocket of millionaires”.

Ms Phillipson’s tickets for the Taylor Swift concert sparked further fury online, with social media users enraged by the revelation. X account Stats for Lefties commented: “You earn £150,000+ a year. Just pay for your own tickets.”

Fellow X user Stay Alert wrote: “There is no such thing as a free lunch so why are MPs putting themselves in a position where they may be beholden to givers of gifts?”

A third X user tweeting from an account named je chimed in: “‘Hard one to turn down… one of my children was keen to go’ she says. In that case, you should have joined the queue for tickets like other people. Snouts in the tough like most politicians. @UKLabour hypocrisy.”

Another sought to defend the senior MP, writing: “I would have accepted the tickets if offered. Free Taylor Swift tickets doesn’t hurt the taxpayer. [That] Labour MPs should be held to higher standards is rubbish. I care about what is in the Budget. They have declared these gifts so it is [in the] public domain.”

Ms Phillipson is the latest senior Labour figure to face criticism for accepting donations, with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer having all been mixed up in the row.

Ms Rayner said on Sunday she understood people were “frustrated” and “angry” that figures had received thousands of pounds in gifts. But she added these had been a feature of British politics for a very long time.

The deputy PM argued donations were necessary because of the expense of running for office and stressed the importance of transparency.

Ms Rayner has herself been criticised for staying in a flat owned by Lord Alli while on holiday in New York, but denied breaking any Commons rules about declaring the gift. She and the Chancellor also declared donations of clothing as office expenses while Sir Keir accepted thousands of pounds in freebies, including Arsenal tickets.



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