Sir Keir Starmer faces calls for independent inquiry into Taylorgate scandal amid claims ministers ‘unduly interfered’ in decision to grant US pop star a police escort

Keir Starmer is facing demands for an independent inquiry into the decision to give Taylor Swift a police escort.

Fury grew last night when it emerged the US pop star was given taxpayer-funded protection after the government’s chief solicitor was called in to lobby Scotland Yard.

Senior Tories demanded answers amid claims ministers “unduly interfered” in the decision, which has come to be dubbed “Taylorgate”.

Sources said Attorney-General Lord Hermer, who is a close friend of the prime minister, was asked to intervene after the Met warned that granting the singer “VVIP” protection would breach its long-standing protocols.

It was only after that intervention that senior officials reversed their original decision and granted a level of security normally reserved for royalty and top politicians, sources said.

Sir Keir was also given free tickets to Taylor Swift’s show, where he was pictured hugging his wife Victoria

Fury grew last night when it emerged US pop star Taylor Swift was given taxpayer-funded protection.

Downing Street and Scotland Yard have refused to answer questions about who asked the attorney general to intervene in the unprecedented move.

Last night Boris Johnson said: “Why on earth is the Attorney General interfering with an operational decision by the Met about a blue light escort? What point of law could be at stake? We need to be told or else , we have to conclude the obvious: Hermer is Starmer’s stooge and sponsor and was just doing his friend’s bidding.

Last week it emerged that Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged the Met to give the star special protection for two of his Eras tour concerts ​in August

Mr Khan and Ms Cooper received free tickets to Ms Swift’s concerts, but both say this was entirely unrelated to the decision.

Sir Keir was also given free tickets to the show, where he was photographed hugging his wife Victoria.

It was the first time the service, provided by the Met’s Special Motorcyclist Scout Group (SEG), had been granted to a pop star.

The police are supposed to operate without political interference, and the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec) makes the decisions about who gets protection.

Last night media barrister Mark Stephens said the decision to grant police protection to a pop star may help Prince Harry make his case against the Home Office. The Duke of Sussex is waging a legal battle after he was stripped of police protection when he stepped down as a royal worker.

Downing Street has denied any suggestion that the discussions were related to ministers attending the concerts. (In the photo, a caravan for King Charles)

Stephens said: “Harry’s lawyers are likely to look closely at the threat assessment in the Taylor Swift case to agree terms of protection for him and his family.”

Former Police Minister Chris Philp yesterday suggested a “red line” had been crossed.

The Tory MP told the Mail: “It appears that ministers have unduly interfered with the operational independence of the police. This deserves an immediate independent inquiry.

“Workers need to know who authorized the attorney general’s participation.”

The Met never discusses security arrangements, but it is understood officers’ initial assessment was that there was no specific threat to Ms Swift in the UK.

However, the Home Secretary and Mayor are said to have stepped in after the star’s mother and manager Andrea threatened to cancel the singer’s London shows in August. It came days after Swift canceled her concerts in Austria following a foiled suicide bomb plot.

The Attorney General was consulted by his council in the talks, which also included Sue Gray when she was the Prime Minister’s chief of staff.

The content of his letter is unclear, but it is understood to have provided the Met with the “legal cover” needed to issue the blue light escort. It was only after his intervention that the Met relented, sources said.

It emerged last week that Home Secretary Yvette Cooper (pictured) and London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged the Met to give the star special protection.

London Assembly member Susan Hall, who came second in the London mayoral race, said yesterday: “I’m shocked to be honest with you.

“I know there was a threat in Vienna and that’s why (Swift’s) mother wanted it, but to have that kind of protection for a pop star is ridiculous. It’s not a security service for hire, as Prince has found out. harry

‘What the hell happened? The public deserves to know.’

Downing Street has denied any suggestion the discussions were related to ministers attending concerts and last night said it would not comment on the Attorney-General’s work.

But a spokesman for Lord Hermer also digressed, saying it was “purely an operational decision for the police”.

A Met Police spokesman said the force was “operationally independent” and its decisions were based “on a comprehensive assessment of threat, risk and harm”.