Scalping On The Backburner

After an amendment to the Consumer Rights Bill was voted down in the House Of Commons (290 votes to 203) Jan. 12, the anti-lobby will hope it gets re-instated in the House Of Lords.

The bill would have forced touts to be a little more transparent about the tickets they’re offering. In November the Lords agreed to the amendment by 183 votes to 171, but the government whips ensured it didn’t make further progress through the lower house.

Under the UK’s constitution the Lords can amend bills twice, but – unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as a parliament trying to extend its own term – it’s powerless to make changes when the bill is presented for the third time.

The bill may again be reviewed before May 7, the day when the UK elects its next government, but the present government has at least guaranteed it won’t have to tackle the subject again.

Conservative MP Mike Weatherley, a fierce critic of the way scalpers use bots to obtain tickets, has said he believes the next Commons vote will be closer. Whether the curbs on touts do eventually make it through the Commons may depend on how many of Weatherley’s parliamentary colleagues are still in place after May 7.