Draft Ticket Tout Ban Bill included in the Kings Speech

The live music sector welcomed the Prime Minister’s promise last year to crack down on ticket touts, but we’re sure everyone shares our disappointment that the King’s Speech included a Draft Ticket Tout Ban Bill. 
 
This is despite the Prime Minister writing to music fans last Friday promising change “as soon as possible”, following growing pressure from the industry and artists, including a poster campaign in his own constituency urging the Government to deliver on its promise.
 
A Draft Bill is a preliminary version of a legislation published by Government for further scrutiny before being formally introduced to Parliament. 
 
Fans have waited long enough. There is no need for further consultation and delay – the evidence and support for action are already overwhelming. The Government must now move forward with the legislation as quickly as possible and not lose sight of why it is being introduced, which is to end the ticket touting scandal and protect fans.

LIVE Board meeting covers sector’s priorities 
 

LIVE’s second board meeting of 2026 took place on 7 May with representation across the full spectrum of the membership. Discussion covered everything from the success of LIVE, the NAA, and MVT’s campaign on Business Rates, to the need to continue pressure on the Government’s ticket touting legislation, challenges facing touring artist, among many others. 

LIVE Trust hears from the northwest grassroots music scene
 

As part of another tremendously successful Sound City festival and conference in Liverpool, LIVE Trust CEO, Jon Collins led a very positive roundtable session with artists, managers, venue operators, festivals organisers and others from across the region's live music sector. These sessions inform the Trust's work, helping to identify current challenges and new programmes and initiatives that can unlock new opportunities.  
 
After discussing issues as diverse as van hire and merch costs, the particular challenges in our secondary and tertiary towns and the perennial problems with public transport, the session concluded with a free flowing consideration of operational issues... not least the potential audience appetite for earlier shows. All thoughts and opinions were captured and will be factored into the Trust's decision-making.  

LIVE Protect Duty discusses Home Office and SIA guidance
 

LIVE Protect Duty met yesterday to discuss the recently published Home Office guidance under Section 27 of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, and the Security Industry Authority’s (SIA) consultation on its draft section 12 guidance. As usual, the meeting was an expert discussion that will inform LIVE’s ongoing engagement with the Home Office and shape our response to the SIA consultation. For reference, the Home Office documents can be found here, the SIA’s guidance can be found here, and the consultation deadline is June 12, 2026.

LIVE Touring submits evidence to UK/EU trade inquiry
 

At a Joint Summit in May 2025, the UK and EU agreed to a Security and Defence Partnership, and published a “Common Understanding”, setting out shared commitments to deepen cooperation. Progress since that initial summit has been limited, with core areas for agreement still to conclude. 
 
The Business and Trade Committee therefore wishes to assess the delivery and expected benefits of the Government’s EU reset to date, and to examine whether the current approach is the right model to achieve the UK’s aims. This week LIVE touring submitted their thoughts, outlining how live music has been forgotten in negotiations and the impact this has not only on the UK’s music industry but on wider supply chains which have relocated to EU territory to remain inside the single market.