Why we're shutting door on this racket

AS UK minister of state for Culture, Media and Sport, I have a message for those profiting from fans - your time is up.

- IAN MURRAY

AS UK minister of state for Culture, Media and Sport, I have a message for those profiting from fans - your time is up.

The evidence from FanFair Alliance is damning. More than 95 per cent of tickets on resale platforms like Viagogo are in the hands of touts, many overseas, systematically fleecing fans in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen.

We've seen it with Lewis Capaldi, Oasis, Katatonia, and countless others - gigs that should bring joy to fans, families and communities hijacked by faceless profiteers who use bots, speculative listings and questionable practices.

Let's be clear: this isn't just a nuisance. It's a systemic racket on fans, artists and venues. At grassroots spaces like King Tut's and Sneaky Pete's, it threatens the survival of live music culture. At arenas like the Hydro and P&J Live, it pushes ordinary people out of reach of the artists they love. And it undermines the entire Scottish and UK music industry.