Taylor Swift’s mum negotiated her VIP security directly with No10 aide Sue Gray, Whitehall insiders claim
TAYLOR Swift’s mum negotiated her VIP security directly with No10 aide Sue Gray, Whitehall insiders say.
Sir Keir Starmer’s then Chief of Staff was central to convincing Met Police chiefs into the rethink.
They had rejected calls for outriders to whisk the superstar to Wembley.
But sources claim Andrea Swift, who acts as Taylor’s manager, threatened to cancel the August dates of her Eras Tour if their taxpayer-funded security demands were not met.
The row has led to questions in the Commons — including over who instructed the Government’s top lawyer to soothe police fears.
Attorney General Richard Hermer was dragged into Swiftgate with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan — who were also involved in negotiations.
Shadow Cabinet Office minister John Glen asked: “What role did Downing Street play in the VIP escort, further to the free tickets for Taylor Swift from Universal Music?”
Minister Ellie Reeves declined to comment.
A No10 source insisted that security arrangements for the gigs were a “matter for the police regardless of what conversations or meetings took place”.
Last night, Ms Cooper tried to make light of the furore.
Referencing Swift’s songs, she told a Westminster reception: “As [husband] Ed Balls taught me, you just have to shake it off because the haters gonna hate, hate, hate.”