eBay to ban Live 8 ticket sales

The managing director of an online auction site tonight announced the company was taking down sales of Live 8 tickets from its website.

Doug McCallum told the ITV News Channel managers had listened to eBay customers’ “overwhelming” view that they should end the sales.

It came after the Government’s music minister James Purnell today stepped into the row, calling for the sales to be halted.

More than 100 pairs of tickets won in the text lottery were being advertised on the internet auction site and attracted bids of thousands of pounds.

Bob Geldof branded it a “disgrace” and accused the sellers of “disgusting greed”, threatening to launch a High Court action against them.

He called for a worldwide boycott of eBay – describing the site as an “electronic pimp”. eBay is not breaking the law by allowing people to re-sell the tickets.