Rachel Reeves has reignited the Labour freebie sleaze row after it was revealed she accepted tickets to see Sabrina Carpenter during her recent O2 show in London. The Chancellor was spotted sitting in a corporate box to watch the US pop star, with similar tickets selling for between £475 and £900.
While Ms Reeves has not broken any rules, the revelation has once again sparked questions about Labour ministers’ freebies and donations. Last September Keir Starmer was rocked by criticism after it emerged he had pocketed £84,000 in free gifts including clothes, glasses and tickets to football matches. Ms Reeves and Angela Rayner were also stung by the row, which overshadowed Labour’s Liverpool conference.
The row saw Keir Starmer pay back some of the donations, and Labour introduced a new rule that ministers would no longer accept clothing donations going forward.
However MPs and ministers were allowed to continue receiving other free gifts, such as concert tickets.
Labour MP Rachael Maskell has lashed out at Ms Reeves’ freebie concert ticket, at a time when the Chancellor is mulling huge benefit cuts for some of the country’s poorest.
The left-wing MP blasted: “I thought that this issue had been settled, and ministers would not be accepting free hospitality for personal benefit.
“So to hear of a repeat, should it have occurred, is deeply troubling, not least at a time when many disabled people are worried sick about having their lifeline of support reduced under the ‘Get Britain Working’ reforms.”
A Treasury spokesman said: “All declarations will be made in the usual way.”
The private VIP box used by Ms Reeves is owned by AEG, a former client of lobbying firm FTI Consulting, whose clients including tobacco giants, North Sea oil and banks such as HSBC and Lloyds.
The i, who revealed the Chancellor’s latest freebie, said it is not possible to rule out that lobbyists were seated alongside Ms Reeves during the show.
It is understood that she received security advice that she could not attend in the general admission areas of the show.
AEG said: “As is standard practice across the events industry, AEG often offers tickets to partners and clients. This includes local authorities and community groups for them to use within their organisations, the acceptance of which is at their discretion.
“AEG has not worked with FTI for over a year and there is no arrangement in place – nor has there ever been – for usage of our hospitality or event tickets in exchange for services.
“Separately, there was no fee or commercial relationship with AEG/ FTI Consulting with regard to the Chancellor’s recent attendance at The O2.”
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