Music industry urges MPs to continue accepting free tickets

Politicians should feel able to accept free concert tickets so they can develop their understanding of the issues facing the sector, according to the Council of Music Makers.

The organisation – which represents the Ivor’s Academy, Featured Artists Coalition, Music Managers Forum, Music Producers Guild and the Musicians’ Union – has responded to recent criticism of MPs for accepting free tickets, urging politicians to engage with the sector by attending a range of events, particularly for UK artists.

“At a time when music makers face multiple challenges in their careers, from the public-subsidised arts sector to grassroots touring, we need MPs in Westminster and the devolved parliaments to get involved by coming to a range of events,” said the council.

“Sometimes this means accepting free tickets to events that they might not otherwise have booked for. It increases their experience of the diverse music industry on offer across the UK, and we know our members want to see them take an interest.

“It also helps when we need to talk to them about issues affecting music makers.”

Public trust

Last month, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she would not accept free concert tickets again after being gifted box seats to watch Sabrina Carpenter at the O2 arena, worth £600.

Reeves, who declared the gift on her register of public interests, received objections from within her own party for attending the gig, with Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook telling LBC it was “not appropriate”.

Pennycook, in whose constituency the O2 sits, said he had accepted “zero” free tickets for the venue, adding, “If I want to go to a concert at the O2, I’ll pay for it. But individual MPs, individual ministers, make their own decisions.”

After initially defending her decision, Reeves backtracked, saying, “I do understand perceptions”.

Speaking to ITV, Reeves said she had been advised that accepting the box seats would be “better for security reasons”.

“That’s the reason why I did that, rather than just being in normal seats, which to be honest, for me and my family, would have been a lot nicer and a lot easier”.

She added that she was “not personally a huge Sabrina Carpenter fan, being a 46 year-old woman”.

Ministers are free to accept gifts as long as they are properly declared, but new rules call for them to consider the need to maintain public trust.

Last year, several Labour politicians, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, faced criticism for accepting Taylor Swift tickets.

‘A place for free tickets’

The Council of Music Makers said it hopes that the backlash from politicians attending high-profile arena shows won’t stop them from accepting free tickets to see new UK talent.

“This isn’t about freebies for MPs and their families to see bands and artists they already love, this is about ensuring they have access to and understand the wide range of music the UK has to offer,” said the council.

With the creative industries identified as a growth area of the economy, general secretary of the Musicians’ Union, Naomi Pohl, said MPs need to “come out and see what we do first hand”

“Of course, we want them to buy tickets to events, but there is a place for free tickets and invitations, too. We want them to see diverse artists, genres and art forms, not just see artists they are fans of already.”

She added: “When Angela Raynor attended Glyndebourne that was a real boost for British orchestral musicians. I know because they all reached out to me to say so.”

Attending music events across the country, particularly those highlighting emerging and diverse talent, would help policymakers “grasp the real challenges we face,” said Ivor Acadamy CEO Roberto Neri.

“From fair pay and rights in the streaming era to the impact of AI and the precarious state of grassroots venues and touring. Greater political engagement is vital if music is to remain a vibrant cultural and economic force for the UK.”