Reeves defends taking gig tickets after freebies row

The chancellor yesterday defended her decision to accept free tickets to see pop star Sabrina Carpenter perform live.

- WILL DURRANT

Rachel Reeves claimed she took the freebie because it was the right thing to do from a security perspective”. Ms Reeves said she and a family member went to see the American star a couple of weeks ago”. She claimed the tickets “weren’t tickets that you were able to buy”.

Asked about the “Espresso” singer’s show on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Ms Reeves pledged to declare the value of her tickets. Her visit to London’s O2 Arena, first reported in The i Paper earlier this month, followed a row over ministers accepting freebies and a change to the ministerial code with new guiding principles on when gifts and hospitality are acceptable.

Sir Keir Starmer last year received several gifts from prominent Labour donor Lord Alli, including “multiple pairs of glasses” to the value of £2,485, “work clothing” worth £16,200 and accommodation worth £20,437.28.