The UK government is intensifying efforts to create new laws aimed at preventing ticket touts from exploiting fans, following pressure from prominent artists such as Mike Joyce, the drummer of The Smiths, and Tinie Tempah. This initiative comes after Keir Starmer pledged last year to "stop fans from being ripped off" by banning the for-profit resale of tickets on platforms like Viagogo and StubHub.
Context
Despite backing from renowned artists including Radiohead, Dua Lipa, and Coldplay, the proposed legislation was notably absent from this year's King's Speech, raising concerns among music industry stakeholders that the initiative might have been shelved. However, multiple sources have informed the Guardian that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has formed a dedicated "bill team" to draft the policy and guide it through Parliament.
Recent Developments
The DCMS is reportedly exploring strategies to prevent touts and resale platforms from circumventing the new laws by operating from offshore locations. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy emphasized in the House of Commons that Andy Burnham is particularly passionate about this issue, and the government is prioritizing it. Nandy is expected to provide further details in her upcoming speech at the Labour conference.
On Friday, industry figures and artists, including Tinie Tempah and Mike Joyce, urged the Prime Minister to act swiftly, citing new evidence of touts targeting smaller venues in Greater Manchester. Research covering 300 events across 13 venues revealed that tickets were being resold on Viagogo at significantly inflated prices, with some listings lacking seller information, potentially breaching competition rules.
