Major change to law proposed over maximum ticket prices after Oasis backlash

Labour MP Rupa Huq said she wants the law changed to improve transparency on pricing and prevent fans being ripped off

A new law has been proposed to ensure fans know the maximum price of tickets following the Oasis backlash.

The proposed Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill is designed to tackle "dynamic pricing" which left numerous Oasis supporters paying more than expected for reunion gig tickets. Labour MP Rupa Huq has tabled this bill in the House of Commons with the aim to establish clear pricing and protect music lovers from being taken advantage of.

Despite all tickets for the Oasis 2025 UK and Ireland tour selling out, concerns were raised when prices for standard tickets increased from £148 to a steep £355. The Britpop legends claim they were unaware that dynamic pricing would be in play, whereas Ticketmaster stated that “all ticket prices are set by the tour".

As the Government and the Competition and Markets Authority vow to explore the matter further, Ealing Central and Acton’s MP, Rupa Huq, said: "As a lifelong music fan, I, like many of the nation, was scandalised to see the recent situation where people were queuing up for the best part of a day to get Oasis tickets."

"And the pressure is immense when you’re refreshing for six hours to find yourself then finally at the top of the queue, you feel you have to go for it, but by then the ticket is five times the price of what you thought it was when advertised."

Ms Huq, who said she watched Oasis live in the '90s, is pushing for legislative change to protect consumers, stating: "From a consumer protection point of view, our constituents would like some certainty and so this Bill would enshrine in statute a maximum price."

"It’s a sort of sale of goods thing, that the price you can see when you start the process is the price you pay. It could be a maximum because dynamic ticket pricing could go down as well as up. There should be some certainty, some predictability, particularly as we’re in a cost-of-living crisis."

"But even irrespective of that there needs to be some fairness in the process because it feels as if the consumer balance is wrong and the ticket merchants can literally double it, triple it, think of a number, infinity and beyond."

She added: "Some of the leading pressure groups and industry bodies think it’s high time that this happened because fans just shouldn’t be ripped off.This won’t outlaw dynamic pricing, it’s just introducing transparency and certainty because there is a place for the market as well."

With cross-party support, Ms Huq's Bill is set to be considered in the House of Commons on December 6. However, without Government backing, its chances of passing in its current form are slim.

The Government has announced plans to consult on the secondary ticket market in the autumn. They also recognised that dynamic pricing can have its advantages, such as offering cheaper tickets for early birds.