DCMS ministers receive £20k in freebies since Labour election win

Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have declared nearly £20,000 in hospitality for various high-profile events since Labour was elected to power, latest figures show.

Data published by the Cabinet Office reveal four ministers in the department – Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, Arts Minister Chris Bryant, Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock and Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross – received hospitality estimated at a combined £19,982.32 between 5 July 2024 and 28 February 2025.

The highest amount of hospitality received was in July 2024 – the month of Labour’s re-election after being out of power for 14 years – with £5,798 declared. This included £2,279 of hospitality provided by the International Olympic Committee for Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock to attend the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Arts Minister Chris Bryant also received £500 in hospitality from the Royal Opera House to attend a Pet Shop Boys concert the same month.

The value of hospitality received dropped significantly in October 2024, around the time of so-called ‘freebie-gate’ when it emerged that Prime Minister Keir Starmer accepted clothing from a Labour Party donor and tickets for a Taylor Swift concert worth £2,800 from Universal Music Group.

Hospitality levels have remained at a lower level since then, but did rise in February 2025 to more than £5,000 – primarily due to tickets and drinks for the BAFTA awards ceremony for Chris Bryant.

Overall, Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock has declared the largest amount of hospitality over the period (£8,903), followed by Bryant (£6,994.5), Nandy (£3,136.82), and then Twycross (£948).

The requirement for monthly detailing of ministerial hospitality and gifts, including estimated value, was introduced by Starmer in November. Before that, the information was published every quarter with no value given, meaning comparison with the previous Conservative government is not possible.

Last week, the Council of Music Makers said it hopes the furore over free tickets to see big-name acts won’t prevent MPs from accepting invitations to see new UK artists.

“At a time when music makers face multiple challenges in their careers, from the public-subsidised arts sector to grassroots touring, we need MPs in Westminster and the devolved parliaments to get involved by coming to a range of events,” said the council.

“Sometimes this means accepting free tickets to events that they might not otherwise have booked for. It increases their experience of the diverse music industry on offer across the UK, and we know our members want to see them take an interest.

“It also helps when we need to talk to them about issues affecting music makers.”