Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has denied claims that a police escort for Taylor Swift was the result of “undue influence” from senior politicians, including the home secretary and the mayor of London.
The Metropolitan Police’s special escort group had initially been reluctant to give the pop star the kind of protection normally reserved for royalty and politicians, but was pressured by senior politicians to provide the extra measures, reports claimed.
The Shake it Off singer concluded the final leg of her globe-trotting Eras Tour with three nights at Wembley Stadium in August.
Ms Swift was given a motorbike convoy to protect her on the way to Wembley despite initial police reservations, The Sun reported.
The decision was made by senior officers, but the home secretary and mayor of London were involved in talks about security around her sell-out shows over the summer, the culture secretary said.
The Independent understands Yvette Cooper and Sadiq Khan discussed security arrangements for Ms Swift to ensure the safety of concert goers following a foiled terrorist attack on an Era’s tour performance in Vienna, Austria. A spokesperson for Mr Khan said the mayor does not interfere in operational decisions by the Metropolitan Police.
Ms Swift’s Eras Tour concerts in Vienna were cancelled after Austrian police arrested two people suspected of planning a major attack on one of the performances.
Both suspects had become radicalised on the internet and had specific plans to carry out an attack, officials said at the time. A 19-year-old Austrian citizen was arrested with chemicals found by a bomb squad. He had also pledged allegiance to Isis, according to officials.
“I utterly reject that there’s been any kind of wrongdoing or undue influence in this case,” Ms Nandy told Sky News.
She added: “When you have major events, whether in London or in other parts of the UK, the Home Secretary will be involved in a conversation where there is a security risk.
“I also know that she doesn’t have the power, nor would she use the power, to insist that any individual got the top level of private security arrangements. That is an operational matter for the police, not for the government.
“The police made the decision. Ultimately, it is their decision, and nobody else can make it.”
A Met Police spokesperson said: “The Met is operationally independent.
“Our decision making is based on a thorough assessment of threat, risk and harm and the circumstances of each case.
“It is our longstanding position that we don’t comment on the specific details of protective security arrangements.”
A Home Office source said: “This was an operational decision for the police.
“Of course, when events of this scale take place you would expect the Government, the Mayor’s Office and the Met Police to work together to ensure they can be held safely and securely.
“As Taylor Swift herself said in the wake of her cancelled concerts in Vienna: ‘I decided that all of my energy had to go toward helping to protect the nearly half a million people I had coming to see the shows in London. My team and I worked hand in hand with stadium staff and British authorities every day in pursuit of that goal, and I want to thank them for everything they did for us.’
“We commend the police for their work to ensure these events went off smoothly and safely.”
A spokesperson for Mr Khan said: “We don’t comment on the Met’s security arrangements – they are operational decisions for them.”