Rachel Reeves has been slammed by another Labour minister for controversially accepting free concert tickets. Housing minister Matthew Pennycook said he did not “personally think it’s appropriate” to take the tickets the Chancellor received for the Sabrina Carpenter gig at London’s O2 ahead of brutal spending cuts, which include slashing the benefits bill.

Mr Pennycook said he would not accept similar freebies and told LBC: “I don’t personally think it’s appropriate. If I want to go to a concert at the O2, I’ll pay for it. But individual MPs, individual ministers make their own decisions. I think that the important thing is that everything is declared and above board, so individual people can make their choices as to whether they think it’s appropriate to take tickets on occasions. I pers onally haven’t done, as I said, at the O2, and wouldn’t do.”

Ms Reeves is paid £67,505 as Chancellor on top of her £91,346 MP’s salary. sHE previously said she would not accept clothing from donors after revelations that she had received £7,500 worth of clothes in opposition.

The Chancellor has cited security arrangements as her reason for taking the free tickets for herself and a family member. sHE said she would declare their value to parliamentary authorities.

Conservative Mike Wood, shadow Cabinet Office minister, said: “This is an extraordinary slapdown of the profligate champagne lifestyle Rachel Reeves has been enjoying since becoming Chancellor. When senior Labour ministers are openly criticising her judgement, then it’s no suprise business and investors are as well.

“The Chancellor must kick her addiction to freebies and focus on undoing the damage she’s doing to family finances in her emergency Budget tomorrow.”

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander previously distanced herself from the Chancellor’s decision as she faced questions from broadcasters earlier in the week.

“I haven’t taken any tickets, to be honest, since I was elected back in [July] as a new Member of Parliament, and going straight into the Ministry of Justice and then coming straight into the Department for Transport,” Ms Alexander told Times Radio.

But when asked whether the Chancellor had made the right decision, Sir Keir Starmer appeared to back Ms Reeves as Downing Street said the Prime Minister “supports all of his ministers making their own judgements” over hospitality.

Asked whether the Prime Minister thought it was acceptable for ministers to accept lavish gifts while implementing cuts, his official spokesman said Cabinet members were “personally responsible for deciding how to act”.

Pressed on whether Ms Reeves had made the right decision, he said: “Obviously the Prime Minister supports all of his ministers making their own judgements in relation to these matters as per the Ministerial Code.”

The so-called “freebies” row, which engulfed Sir Keir’s top team after their election win last year, led to the Prime Minister announcing that he would repay the costs of some gifts he received.

However, the Prime Minister defended his acceptance of corporate hospitality from Arsenal football club, citing security as his reason for doing so, similar to Ms Reeves.