A thorough article, thank you. Be prepared for the onslaught that decries the factual information you have provided.
The previous UK tour (entirely cancelled) due to poor tickets sales (yes, people provided facts. Yes, other disputed the facts and actual seats still available) should have been a wake-up call. By booking only 2 venues on this occasion I believe (my opinion) that the 'management' believed these would sell out, and sell out quickly, allowing it to coo over 2 sell-out shows. It could have been a clever move had it worked.
If either of the two UK shows sells out now it will be a pyrrhic victory. As you have alluded to standing tickets are currently still available for both venues. These used to be gold dust. London, I think, could get close to capacity but we don't know how many sections have been blocked off from sale. Leeds, even with 13 sections blocked off, it will not sell out. In fact, re-sale tickets keep appearing. Even the alternating row trick that you mention in no way hides the shortfall.
While a good deal of Morrissey's dubious comments have been widely reported points 8 - 11 have not but they have landed hard upon his female fan base. His suggestion, and I'm being as balanced as I can here, that victims of sexual abuse 'ask for it' or 'should expect it' really did resonate. The direct quote below, related to Kevin Spacey, sickended me "You have to assume that the boy (14) had an inkling of what might possibly happen."
The Morrissey apologists, and there are many of them, will argue that he has also said that he finds all forms of sexual violence repugnant. If that were truly the case how on earth can he qualify the remarks he made about alleged victims of sexual abuse?
I thoroughy enjoyed reading your article. It's a sorry state of affairs for me to have 'loved' someone so much only find myself at the loathing end of the spectrum.