Deputy PM calls for Lincoln Christmas Market return and labels its cancellation 'the Grinch in action'

The Deputy Prime Minister has called for the return of Lincoln Christmas Market after it was axed by the city council last year. During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, April 24, Lincoln Conservative MP Karl McCartney spoke about the Christmas market cancellation, claiming it was "cruelly closed" against the wishes of residents.

Addressing Deputy PM Oliver Dowden, Mr McCartney said: "The good people of Lincoln, who all declare their taxes and pay tax on their profit when selling their second homes, overwhelmingly want Lincoln Christmas Market to be brought back after the Labour-run city council cruelly closed it last year.

"The Labour city council refused to do what the people of Lincoln want. What message will the Deputy Prime Minister send to the voters of Lincoln before next week’s local elections?"

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The Deputy PM responded: "I'm afraid that what the honourable gentleman has described is the Grinch in action. That Christmas market, in the home of the Magna Carta, was beloved by local residents. They have totally ignored the wishes of local residents and cancelled it, and they should reverse that decision."

A final decision was made to scrap Lincoln Christmas Market after 40 years in February 2023 during a City of Lincoln Council executive committee meeting. It was decided that the Christmas market's £260,000 budget would instead be put towards an events and cultural programme designed to attract visitors to the city throughout the whole year.

At the time, City of Lincoln Council leader, Ric Metcalfe, said: "Our current market has gotten way too big. It's pretty clear that most people recognise that fact. This isn't a creature of a social media frenzy or idiosyncrasies of this particular year.

"It is a long term trend we're seeing that drives us to the inevitable conclusion that we need to make fundamental changes. If it goes on growing at its current rate, it certainly will become unsafe. And public safety has to be, as a public authority, our number one consideration."