Taylor Swift originally requested armed police guard ahead of Wembley gigs — but was refused

TAYLOR Swift asked for an armed police guard ahead of her Wembley gigs — but was refused.

The pop star was eventually granted a blue-light escort at great expense to the taxpayer.

It sparked a huge row, with ­Labour politicians accused of pressuring the Met Police to provide the royalty-style treatment.

The US singer’s mum Andrea negotiated directly with the PM’s then-chief of staff Sue Gray over the protection.

A source said: “She originally requested an armed guard. She may have assumed cops were armed.”

Taylor’s mum had threatened to axe the shows ­following a foiled suicide bomb plot at her Austria gigs.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and London Mayor Sadiq Khan both personally intervened in discussions.

Sir Keir Starmer accepted a freebie ticket to one of the Swift concerts and met her backstage in August.

The PM denied it was a thank-you for the escort but later paid back the money.

The Met said: “Our decision-making is based on a ­thorough assessment of threat, risk and harm and the circumstances of each case.”