Leading Artists Call on PM Starmer to Tackle Exploitative Ticket Touting Industry
As the UK's most successful musicians, including Radiohead, Dua Lipa, and Coldplay, have come together in a show of solidarity, urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take decisive action against "pernicious" ticket tout websites. These platforms, where tickets are bought and sold for exorbitant prices, are allegedly exploited by ruthless touts who are preventing genuine fans from accessing live music events.
According to the artists' open statement, secondary ticketing companies have lobbied fiercely against a proposed cap on resale prices, claiming it would lead to more fraud. However, the musicians dispute this, arguing that removing for-profit resale would make it easier for fans to spot illegal behaviour.
The issue has come to light through reports by the Guardian and consumer group Which?, which found evidence of exorbitant prices being charged by touts on websites such as Viagogo and StubHub. In some cases, tickets have been listed for thousands of pounds, with a Coldplay ticket sold for £814.52.
The artists are now calling on Starmer to use the next king's speech to fulfil Labour's general election manifesto pledge to cap resale prices at between zero and a 30% increase on the face value of a ticket. This move would help fix elements of the secondary ticketing market that serve the interests of touts, whose exploitative practices are preventing genuine fans from accessing live music events.
Some of the UK's biggest touts have been revealed to use bots and specialist browser software to maximise their ticket hauls, leading to prosecutions and prison sentences. Meanwhile, alleged "speculative selling" – a practice in which touts advertise tickets they do not actually have, pocketing fans' money before attempting to source real tickets cheaply – has also been uncovered.
The artists and organisations backing them believe that capping resale prices would make it easier for genuine fans to access live music events without being ripped off. With Starmer facing mounting pressure from both the public and his own party members on this issue, it remains to be seen whether he will take decisive action against the ticket tout industry.
As the UK's most successful musicians, including Radiohead, Dua Lipa, and Coldplay, have come together in a show of solidarity, urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take decisive action against "pernicious" ticket tout websites. These platforms, where tickets are bought and sold for exorbitant prices, are allegedly exploited by ruthless touts who are preventing genuine fans from accessing live music events.
According to the artists' open statement, secondary ticketing companies have lobbied fiercely against a proposed cap on resale prices, claiming it would lead to more fraud. However, the musicians dispute this, arguing that removing for-profit resale would make it easier for fans to spot illegal behaviour.
The issue has come to light through reports by the Guardian and consumer group Which?, which found evidence of exorbitant prices being charged by touts on websites such as Viagogo and StubHub. In some cases, tickets have been listed for thousands of pounds, with a Coldplay ticket sold for £814.52.
The artists are now calling on Starmer to use the next king's speech to fulfil Labour's general election manifesto pledge to cap resale prices at between zero and a 30% increase on the face value of a ticket. This move would help fix elements of the secondary ticketing market that serve the interests of touts, whose exploitative practices are preventing genuine fans from accessing live music events.
Some of the UK's biggest touts have been revealed to use bots and specialist browser software to maximise their ticket hauls, leading to prosecutions and prison sentences. Meanwhile, alleged "speculative selling" – a practice in which touts advertise tickets they do not actually have, pocketing fans' money before attempting to source real tickets cheaply – has also been uncovered.
The artists and organisations backing them believe that capping resale prices would make it easier for genuine fans to access live music events without being ripped off. With Starmer facing mounting pressure from both the public and his own party members on this issue, it remains to be seen whether he will take decisive action against the ticket tout industry.
. It's not fair that these touts can charge exorbitant prices for tickets and make a profit off fans who are desperate to get in. I think the Prime Minister should definitely take action and cap resale prices at 30% or less, it would really help to prevent this exploitation.
. And it's not like they're doing anything productive with their money, they're just lining their pockets while fans are being ripped off. I'm glad that Radiohead, Dua Lipa, and Coldplay are speaking out about this issue, it's time for the government to take notice.
. They end up paying way more than face value for tickets only to find that they can't get in or that the event gets cancelled. It's just not right. So I think this is an issue that needs to be addressed ASAP 
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I think PM Starmer gotta step in on this one. These touts are like vampires, suckin' blood from genuine fans 
. Cap on resale prices would level the playin' field and let fans get decent seats at live shows without breakin' the bank 
. Artists already doin' it tough with venue costs and whatnot, the last thing they need is some tout makin' a killin' off 'em 
. The gov's got to crack down on these bots and fake sellers, it's time to put an end to this rip-off culture 
When artists like Radiohead and Dua Lipa are forced to speak out against the system, it's a harsh reminder that even our passions can be exploited for profit. These secondary ticketing companies are taking advantage of genuine fans, who just want to experience live music without breaking the bank 
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It's like our love of music has become a luxury item that only the wealthy can afford... 
. It's not rocket science, guys - if you can't afford the ticket price, don't try to resell it at a higher price or use some shady tactic to get your hands on one cheaply 
. Just let people enjoy the music in peace!
! They're basically begging for a price cap so they can't rip off fans even more. It's like, I get it, they wanna make some cash, but not at the expense of our sanity 
. And £814.52 for a Coldplay ticket? That's just ridiculous 
. Let's hope he doesn't get caught up in the drama like those touts do 
. Anyway, I'm kinda hoping for some regulation, not a total ban on resale sites tho 
. And it's not like it's fair to genuine fans who just want to enjoy the music live. I think it's time for the PM to step in and put an end to this exploitative industry once and for all 
. Maybe if we cap resale prices, touts won't have as much to gain from ripping off fans. Fingers crossed Starmer will take action 
. cap on resale prices would be a great start, idk how viagogo and stubhub can keep arguing against it tho 
. It's not like it would hurt anyone - it would just make sure that touts don't get away with ripping people off 
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they r gettin robbed by these touts who just wanna make a quick buck off fans who really wanna see them live 
I'm literally so down for this!!! 
The artists are right, those touts are SOOO exploitative!!! 
That's just crazy talk! 
. It's just so unfair for genuine fans like me who want to enjoy live music events.
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. A cap on resale prices would be a total game-changer for fans like me who just wanna enjoy some live music without breaking the bank 
. It's time to put an end to these exploitative touts and their bots and browser tricks 
. Fingers crossed he'll take action soon 
! I mean, can't they just leave tickets alone? You see a Coldplay gig coming up and you really want to go, but then you see this £814.52 price tag for a single ticket? No chance, mate! It's like they're taking advantage of people who are desperate to see their favourite band live.
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. Maybe with Starmer taking action, we'll finally see some real change 
.
. It's not right that they can rip people off like this and get away with it 
. PM Starmer needs to take action and cap those resale prices ASAP 
!