Gig ticket prices capped and touts face crackdown under Labour plan to stop music-lovers being ripped off

14 March 2024, 10:51 | Updated: 14 March 2024, 11:05

By Natasha Clark

@NatashaC

Gig tickets will be face price caps and touts will be banned from being able to sell on unlimited tickets under Labour, Keir Starmer vows today.

The Labour boss pledged to stand up for music fans as he promised to increase access to the arts if he becomes PM.

In a major speech this morning he set out the party's plan for the creative industries - including bids to drive up investment and increase opportunities for kids.

Labour will cap resale prices for gig tickets and hand new powers to the competition watchdog to help regulate dodgy sellers online.

Secondary ticketing websites sell on tickets at hugely inflated prices and can snap up tickets fans are trying to buy too.

Touts are using false IDs, bots and automated systems to skip online queues to hoover up tickets, they say.

He would stop hard-working music-lovers from being ripped off by stopping the resale of tickets at more than a percentage above the price the original purchaser could do.

And the party would limit the number to tickets that can be listed for resale to the same number that can be bought by a group of friends or a family.

LBC understands the party will work with industry to setting a reasonable number.

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Many sites including Ticketmaster already limit them to 4 tickets, but it is often down to the organisers of the gig to enforce the rules when putting them up for sale.

The Competition and Markets authority will also be given fresh powers to make platforms accountable for the accuracy of information they show about tickets.

Keir Starmer said: “Access to music, art and theatre for hard working Brits can’t be at the mercy of ruthless ticket touts driving up prices.  

"Hours spent refreshing ticket resale websites only to pay through the nose to see an artist you love, is frustrating and unfair.

"Labour will cap resale prices and ban ticket hoarding. Culture should be for fans, not excessive profits.”  

And backing the announcement today, singer Will Young added: "This will ensure that more people can get to events for the correct and fair price and that people passionate about the arts win rather than those looking to misuse the system for financial gain, putting fans back at the heart of music.”

It comes as Glastonbury announced this year's line-up today - with Dua Lipa, Coldplay and Shakira set to headline the festival this summer.

Labour boss Sir Keir Starmer will be speaking to Lewis Goodall on LBC from 4pm today.