Labour are targeting resellers because they won't tackle Ticketmaster

A CRISIS appears, public anger rises, ministers panic – and instead of tackling the source of the problem, they sprint toward the bit that looks easiest to fix. The bit that makes a good headline. The bit that lets them avoid upsetting anyone who actually has power.

And so here we are again, with the UK Government announcing plans to ban ticket resale – a long-overdue attempt, we’re told, to crack down on price gouging and protect ordinary fans. In principle, fine. No one enjoys competing with an army of bots or watching some anonymous reseller flog Taylor Swift tickets for the cost of a month’s rent. I have no objection to the idea that the cultural economy shouldn’t be a free-for-all for speculative traders.

But let’s be honest: banning ticket resale is a wonderfully convenient way o