TOP Labor politicians have been accused of pressuring police to give Taylor Swift a royal-style blue light escort to Wembley.
Officers were reluctant to grant her VVIP service – a huge cost to the tax payer.
13
Labor leaders have been accused of pressuring police to protect Taylor Swift amid fears her Wembley gigs could be cancelledCredit: Getty
13
Taylor’s entourage leaves Wembley Stadium
13
The Met Police’s elite motorcycle unit in action Credit: The Sun
13
Senior police officers agreed to Labor’s demands after personal interventions by Home Secretary Yvette CooperCredit: Alamy
Swift’s mom and manager, Andrea, reportedly threatened to cancel the shows in August unless a police escort was provided.
It followed a foiled suicide bomber plot in Austria last week.
Senior police officers agreed to this after personal interventions by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
VVIP protection is usually for the elderly and politicians.
Even Prince Harry wouldn’t get the same treatment after losing a court case over his insurance being cut.
Special Motorcyclist Escort has a strict policy not to be used for private individuals.
Bosses are understood to have objected to providing protection for billionaire Swift, 34, and her entourage.
The revelations about the security row come after Labor politicians were criticized for gobbling up freebies.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Khan were among those given free tickets to shows at Wembley.
Former Met commander John O’Connor insisted: “The police should be left alone to make operational decisions.
Starmer is a two-faced hypocrite… preaching about hard times while a millionaire buys his wife clothes
“This interference creates the impression that there is no such thing as a free lunch or concert tickets. The Met is unable to provide security for Prince Harry, but he must be in at least as much danger as Taylor Swift.
Fears of terrorism
“SEG is dedicated to the very serious job of protecting the royal family, senior government ministers and foreign heads of state. This is an abuse of elite office.”
Three of Swift’s shows were canceled in Vienna due to terrorism fears.
British police and MI5 then carried out an intelligence assessment, but there was no information about a threat to the American star’s performances at Wembley.
But sources said her mum required a police escort for the journey to and from the hotel to Wembley.
SEG has a specific role and does not provide security protection to private individuals, however important they may be
Source
A source said: “There were huge security concerns at the Swift camp and they threatened to cancel the shows if there was no police escort.
“SEG has a specific role and does not provide security protection for any private individuals, no matter how important.”
After SEG’s initial refusal, it is understood that Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s office intervened.
Sources say Ms Cooper stressed to the Met that any cancellation would be economically damaging and embarrassing.
But SEG controllers are said to have remained steadfast.
The escort will divide opinion
Author: Mike Sullivan
Taylor Swift’s special police escort will divide opinions.
On the one hand, the Home Secretary and the Mayor of London deserve congratulations for helping the American singer’s concerts take place in August.
But the flip side involved sacrificing the principles and protocols of the Met’s elite special escort group.
Their role is to serve the state and provide professional – and often armed – mobile protection for the nobility and senior government ministers.
Using them as traffic assistants for a pop star denigrates their purpose.
It was understandable that Taylor Swift and her mother should have been upset by the events in Vienna and the cancellation of three shows there.
However, concerts could easily be held there, and I doubt that they would do so in this country.
All the suspects from Vienna were arrested, and the material found for making bombs was crude and unsustainable.
There was no intelligence of any threat to Swift’s concerts in London.
So, at the risk of inflaming Swifties, it seems to me that the pop princess or her mother believed they were too important to be caught up in traffic like regular people.
Politicians have done well to spoil the Swifts – but at what cost?
A source said: “At this point, Mayor Khan stepped in and contacted the Met.
“The mayor was apparently contacted by the office of the Home Secretary and the Swift administration.
“The involvement of the Minister of the Interior and the mayor is actually an application of pressure.
“The SEG finally agreed to make an exception to its policy, and the terrorist arrests in Vienna were used to justify the decision.
13
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has also been in touch with The Met about safeguarding SwiftCredit: Getty
13
Sir Keir Starmer and wife Victoria enjoying a Taylor Swift concert in June Credit: instagram
13
Three of Swift’s shows were canceled in Vienna due to terrorism fearsCredit: Getty
13
Swift’s mum and manager, Andrea, reportedly threatened to pull out of shows in August unless a police escort was providedCredit: Getty
But there wasn’t any particular threat to Swift and SEG wasn’t happy about them being used as her private bodyguards. They feel that their position and role is being undermined.”
None of the SEG officers were armed as is customary for official government duties.
Ordinary police motorcyclists were used at Swift’s concerts in Edinburgh and Cardiff.
She thanked the police for helping the gigs at Wembley go ahead.
She said: “We commend the police for their work to ensure these events run smoothly and safely.”
‘Operationally independent’
The Met said: “The Met is operationally independent. Our decisions are based on a thorough assessment of the threat, risk and harm and circumstances of each case.”
An Interior Ministry source said: “This was an operational decision by the police. Of course, when events of this magnitude occur, you would expect the Government, the Mayor’s Office and the Met Police to work together to ensure they are kept safe and secure.”
A spokesman for the mayor said: “We do not comment on the Met’s security arrangements.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir has offered to refund £4,000 worth of free tickets he received for Swift’s concerts in August.
He does not refund the price of four tickets for the June show he attended with his wife Victoria.
Swifties who got a freebie
13
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson received two tickets worth £522.54 from the Football AssociationCredit: Getty
13
The Football Association gave Health Secretary Wes Streeting four tickets worth £1,160Credit: Getty
13
Schools Minister Catherine McKinnell had two tickets worth £2,000 courtesy of the Premier League
13
Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Treasury, took four tickets worth £3,400 from the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
13
Chris Ward, Sir Keir’s Parliamentary Private Secretary, received two £1,600 Premier League tickets Credit: Alamy
Plus 4 more Labor MPs
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education