A push by performers, promoters and the Labour opposition to tighten the U.K. market for "reselling tickets was defeated on Monday," according to Blitz & Pickard of the FINANCIAL TIMES. More than 80 signatories of an open letter -- including Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, the managers of One Direction, the Rugby Football Union and music promoter Harvey Goldsmith -- had urged the government to "put fans first" and back a change in the law. They wanted MPs to "support an amendment to the consumer rights bill forcing companies such as Ticketmaster and StubHub" to publish information on the tickets they sell, "including who they buy tickets from, its face value and the ticket's terms and conditions." U.K. Culture Secretary Sajid Javid has "previously said websites selling second hand tickets were 'classic entrepreneurs.'" But the Metropolitan Police has warned that the secondary market encourages "unscrupulous practices, a lack of transparency and fraud." Labour MP Sharon Hodgson said that the government should listen to "consumers, the police and the live event industry" instead of a handful of people and companies making money from the "current murkiness and underhand dealings in the market" (FT, 1/12).
