Cabinet minister admits to paying surge prices for Oasis tickets

Company under fire as surge system sees some tickets sold for more than double face value

Ticketmaster should be investigated for “basically scalping” Oasis fans who tried to secure tickets for the band’s reunion tour, MPs have said. 
The ticketing website has faced a flurry of criticism for its use of “dynamic pricing”, a practice where customers are charged higher prices as the level of demand increases.
Oasis fans trying to buy tickets for the Britpop band’s upcoming shows over the weekend initially expected to pay around £150. However, people using the Ticketmaster website reported being offered prices north of £300 per ticket.
Tickets were put up for sale on three platforms but Ticketmaster was the only one that employed dynamic pricing.
Charlotte Nichols, the Labour MP for Warrington North, said there was “definitely cause for an investigation”, adding: “It’s basically scalping”.
Ms Nichols said: “Paying extra for some sort of benefit, closer view or VIP experience, sure. But this is an exploitative business practice that’s only really possible because Ticketmaster [has] been allowed to have a near-enough monopolistic position in the market.”
Jamie Stone MP, the Liberal Democrats’ culture spokesman, called Ticketmaster’s behaviour “scandalous” and said: “The Oasis ticket fiasco must be a watershed moment and lead to an official investigation, either by the watchdog or a parliamentary body.”
A government minister revealed on Sunday that she paid surge prices for Oasis tickets. Lucy Powell, House of Commons leader and Lord President of the Council says she ended up buying two tickets for £350 each for Heaton Park in July. Tickets were originally quoted at £148.50, not including a booking fee of £2.75.
The Manchester Central MP told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Eventually [I] got through and bought a couple of tickets for more than I was expecting to pay.”
Ms Powell said she did not “particularly like” surge pricing, as dynamic pricing is also known, before adding: “It is the market and how it operates.”
Rupa Huq, Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, said: “I believe this topic is ripe for an inquiry of the Culture, Media and Sport select committee when it reconstitutes.
“The pressurised environment surrounding these tickets going on sale adds to the ease of rip-offs being executable.”
Ms Huq, a longstanding fan of Oasis who previously interviewed Noel Gallagher for the Big Issue magazine in 1999, added: “The last time I saw Oasis live was in Summer of the year 2000 when they performed an open-air free gig in Paris at the end of the road I was staying at for a work conference.
“The fact I’ve seen them play free before makes the spectre of people waiting the best part of a day to take part in a competitive bidding process, to part with a small fortune – a whacking multiple of what was announced price-wise – seem all the worse in short changing loyal fans.” 
A spokesman for Ticketmaster said it does not set the price of tickets itself and declined to comment further. It is believed the ticket prices for Oasis gigs were set by promoters.
Ticketmaster, which is the biggest ticketing platform in the UK, introduced dynamic pricing in 2022. Artists are not obligated to use the system, which the US company calls “in demand” or “platinum” pricing. It has argued that the system helps to deter touts.
However, it has proved controversial in the past. Ticketmaster was forced to defend the practice in 2022 after ticket prices for Bruce Springsteen concerts rose as high as $5,000 (£3,800).
Oasis fans have been further irked by the fact that their choice of ticketing platforms was limited. The band posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account telling fans they should only buy resale tickets on Ticketmaster or one other site.
“Does this include Ticketmaster printing whatever face value they like? Pure greed,” one responded to the band’s tweet. Another wrote: “Why are you overcharging when face value is £148 and you’re charging £355.”
Oasis Live ’25 UK and Ireland tickets have now SOLD OUT.Please be aware of counterfeit and void tickets appearing on the secondary market.Tickets can ONLY be resold, at face value, via @TicketmasterUK and @Twickets. pic.twitter.com/gWW5xDDzL8
Alex Sobel, the Labour MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, said he planned to urge the cross-party Parliamentary Group on Music to take up an inquiry into Oasis ticketing “as a priority” when Parliament is recalled on Sept 10.
Mr Sobel said: “Ticket sales for high-demand tours like Oasis should have clear pricing and transparent processes. Long queues and dynamic pricing so promoters can gauge demand and compete with touts isn’t the solution. 
“We need an investigation into what has happened and safeguards built into the bill.”
Sir Keir Starmer pledged to crack down on the secondary ticket sales market, or ticket “touting”, as part of a pre-election package designed to enhance protections for music fans.
Kate Osborne, the Labour MP for Jarrow and Gateshead East, said: “People in more deprived areas are struggling to pay the basic bills, the last thing they need when they’re looking to have that treat or that special occasion is for ticketing agents or bands to be taking advantage of them in this way.” 
A spokesman for the Department for Business & Trade, said: “Everyone deserves a fair chance to see their favourite artists live, that is why vendors are required by law to be transparent about their ticket prices. 
“We want to go further to put fans back at the heart of music and will bring in protections to stop people being ripped off by touts.”