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Rachel Reeves says she won’t take free concert tickets in future after Sabrina Carpenter row

Rachel Reeves has said she will not accept future ‘freebie’ concert tickets after her decision to accept a seat in a box to watch Sabrina Carpenter reignited a furious row.

The chancellor came under fire from MPs – including government ministers – for receiving the hospitality as she prepared to slash £5 billion from the welfare bill.

Now Ms Reeves has said she will not accept free tickets again in an attempt to draw a line under the issue.

She told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I do recognise how it looks to people.

(AFP/PA)

“Since I’ve become chancellor, my life has changed a lot. It’s the privilege of my life to do this job, but with it does come security concerns that I’m not able, like I was in the past, just to buy tickets for a concert and sit with my family.

“So for security reasons, I did take a ticket in a box. I don’t have any intention of doing this again. I thought it was the right decision for my family on that occasion. But I do understand how people feel.”

Asked if this would mean she will rule out all freebies in future, she said: “If it’s related to my job and it’s something that I need to do in my job, like I’m going to a formal dinner or a formal event, of course you have to accept hospitality.

“But, look, I went with a family member. I’m not intending to take concert tickets in the future.

“But, you know, it is a balancing act in my job to try and be a good parent, and also do my job, with some of the security challenges that I face in the job now.”

On Wednesday, Zarah Sultana, the independent MP for Coventry South – who was a Labour MP until she had the whip suspended – raised the tickets as she asked the chancellor if “austerity 2.0′ is the change people really voted for?”


Source: UK Politics - www.independent.co.uk


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