UK Music Sector Urges Government to Honor Ticket Scalping Pledge

A coalition of UK artists and music industry personnel have united to urge the UK Government to honor its promise to “put fans first” by banning the resale of live event tickets above face value.

Backstory:

• The UK Government made the promise in November 2025, following industry pressure and an open letter signed by artists such as Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Radiohead, Sam Fender, Iron Maiden, and Robert Smith.

Not so fast:

• It was expected that the government would formally introduce the legislation as part of the upcoming King’s Speech on May 13.

• Now, Music Week is reporting that only draft legislation is likely to be announced, which could “delay meaningful action by up to three years.”

The new campaign:

• Posters appearing across London are urging the government to “keep the promise on May 13th.”

• The activity is led by the FanFair Alliance, a campaign against mass online ticket scalping originally established by the Music Managers Forum.

What they said:

• Jon Collins, CEO, LIVE: “We welcomed the Prime Minister's promise to tackle touts last year but a draft bill is not enough. The plan to include legislation as a draft risks delaying action by three years, at a cost of nearly £500 million to consumers. Fans have waited long enough for an end to the ticket touting scandal, and there is no need for further consultation. It's time for government to deliver on its promise.”