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Sajid Javid, New UK Culture Secretary, Controversial on Royal Opera House Ticket Touts

Well, that didn't take long!

The new UK Culture Secretary hasn't even had the job for one week and already he's managed to alienate some notables in the arts world.

Sajid Javid has reportedly described ticket touts as "entrepeneurs" and defended their right to charge whatever they want for the tickets they resell.

This, says the Huffington Post, flies in the face of complaints made by the Royal Opera House's new chief executive Alex Beard that touts tend to target the cheap seats, buying in bulk and selling on for far more than the cover-price.

So, those whom the cheaper seats are there to help (subsidised by the taxpayer, let's not forget) are the ones who lose out.

Other arts luminaries complained aloud about the Secretary's comments, which however date from 2011. It may of course be that the new job--and new advisors who come with it--bring a change of heart.

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