Keir Starmer vows to “stamp out ticket touts for good” in open letter to live music fans

Keir Starmer has pledged to “stamp out ticket touts for good” in a letter to live music fans, a note revealed exclusively to NME. The Prime Minister says he will push forward legislation to stop tickets being resold above their original cost.

The promise follows Labour’s 2024 manifesto pledge to “put fans back at the heart of events by introducing new consumer protections on ticket resales” and a government announcement in January 2025 outlining plans for a price cap on secondary ticket sales alongside an official consultation into the industry and controversial ‘dynamic pricing’ practices.

The consultation ran from January 10 until April 4. By last November, however, no concrete legislative plan had been published, prompting public appeals from artists and industry figures including Radiohead, Sam Fender and Dua Lipa.

In recent months music industry managers representing acts such as Arctic Monkeys, Ed Sheeran, Fontaines D.C., Keane, Nick Cave and Radiohead signed an open letter urging the government not to abandon its pledge. Days after that pressure, the government reiterated plans for a price cap on secondary sales, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy telling NME the measures would be outlined in the King’s Speech and would then need to “pass both the Houses of Lords and Parliament to become law”.

Now Starmer has written directly to fans. In the letter he highlights the economic importance of the music sector and promises rapid action against “ruthless ticket touts”. He also welcomes artists who have publicly defended fans against resellers.

Read the letter in full, below:

“To all live music fans,

“I grew up with music all around me. I listened to it at home. I played the flute, piano, recorder and violin. And I also know there is nothing quite like the atmosphere and feeling of watching live music.

“Even now as Prime Minister, to wind down at the end of a long day I will put music on with the family. So I know firsthand how important it is to the people of this country – one that is the birthplace of current superstars from your industry like Olivia Dean, Adele, Ed Sheeran, and Dua Lipa – that they are able to afford the escape of going to a live event such as a concert or a gig at the end of a long week.

“And our creative industries are booming. I’ve made them one of the eight sectors of our Modern Industrial Strategy so that we can keep backing you with big commitments from government. You are an engine for economic renewal across our country, bringing billions into the British economy, creating jobs and opportunity.

“I have made a commitment to put fans first, and working with the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy I will make sure this happens as quickly as possible.

The crowd at Reading 2023. Credit: Andy Ford for NME

“We will crackdown on ruthless ticket touts preying on music fans by selling tickets for exorbitant and unaffordable prices, stopping them from seeing their favourite artists. Let me get that straight.

“We will protect fans so they can keep more of their hard-earned cash, by making it illegal for tickets to live events to be resold for more than their original cost.

“And I want to make it clear that I welcome British artists coming out in defence of their fans, who spend this hard-earned cash day in day out to follow them to venues around the country.

“If we are going to crack down on unscrupulous ticket touts and really put fans first, we must work with groups and people across the sector – including fans, performers and campaigners – as well as parliamentarians to ensure we get it right the first time and make the lasting change you want and deserve.

“And that is what we will do. We will make progress on the legislation to protect fans and create a policy that will stand the test of time. This is the first step to stamping touts out for good.”

The crowd for Declan McKenna live at Reading 2023. Credit: Andy Ford for NME

The letter arrives alongside research from consumer group Which? showing that, without government action, fans could be charged an extra £24 million over the summer by online resellers. Which? says buyers for major acts including Ariana Grande, BTS and Harry Styles could be most affected by secondary listings on sites such as StubHub and Viagogo.

Which? estimates touts could make £6.6 million from Harry Styles tickets alone. The report cites examples of tickets with face values of £200 listed for as much as £3,622; BTS tickets originally priced at £450 appearing for £4,872; and Ariana Grande tickets originally £135 listed at over £2,800. Average markups are listed at 274 per cent for Grande, 312 per cent for BTS and 159 per cent for Styles.

Which? also notes that while not all sellers on resale platforms are professional touts, those who are are expected to account for £18.5 million of the total summer figure.

When the government announced plans to ban profitable secondary ticket sales, it said new rules would make it illegal to resell tickets for live music, sports, comedy and theatre events above the original cost. The government estimated re-sold gig tickets would be roughly £37 cheaper on average and that fans could collectively save £112 million per year. The move would also aim to eliminate the large fees charged by secondary sellers.

The crowd for Sam Fender at Reading 2023. Credit: Andy Ford for NME

On the announcement Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told NME: “Finally, we’re here. We promised when we were elected that it would be time up for ticket touts. It’s a good day.”

She explained the practical impact for gig-goers: “People will obviously be able to re-sell their tickets, but not for any more than the price they paid for it. They’ll have to sell it at face value.

“You do get lots of people who later find that they can’t go to a gig or sporting event, and we want to make sure that they can still sell their ticket. They won’t be able to add on any more money than they paid, but they will be able to get their money back.”

The government has also announced measures intended to support live venues after opposition to proposed business rates, and confirmed a new ethical ticket resale platform will be launched in partnership with Music Venue Trust.

NME interviewed Starmer in August, where he was asked about a £1 ticket levy designed to support grassroots venues. The levy has been adopted on major tours by acts such as Coldplay, Katy Perry, Sam Fender and Mumford & Sons.

Starmer told NME: “I’m very supportive of this initiative, the £1 levy going back into grassroots [venues], because so much of our music is grassroots. It’s obviously where a lot of people access their music, and it’s where a lot of musicians start off, and therefore I’m hugely supportive of it. I’d like to see it expanded even more, but I want to support it in any way we can.”