Leicester MP 'greatly concerned' as meat and alcohol served at Downing Street Diwali event

Downing Street has apologised after serving meat and alcohol at its Diwali celebration event - actions which left a Leicester MP “greatly concerned”. Shivani Raja, the Conservative MP for Leicester East is among many to have complained about the move and said it showed “a disappointing lack of knowledge" about the festival.

Number 10 said a “mistake” had been made in the organisation of the event and sought to assure the community “it will not happen again”. Hinduism does not have a clear prohibition on alcohol or meat consumption, but many Hindus choose not to drink and some are also vegetarian.

In a letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Ms Raja, who was elected in July's general election, said she was “greatly concerned” to hear that attendees were offered meat and alcohol. “I feel this speaks poorly against the organisation of this year’s event – with a disappointing lack of knowledge of the customs and traditions that many British citizens hold dear,” she said.

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“As a practising Hindu, representing thousands of Hindus within my own constituency of Leicester East, I have been deeply saddened to hear that this year’s festivities were overshadowed in the greatest Office of State by negativity, as a result of this oversight.”

The Downing Street Diwali event has taken place since 2009. It gained prominence during the premiership of Britain’s first Hindu PM Rishi Sunak, who was pictured lighting traditional candles with his family on the occasion.

A Number 10 spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister was pleased to welcome a range of communities celebrating Diwali to a reception in Downing Street. “He paid tribute to the huge contribution the British Hindu, Sikh & Jain communities make to our country and how the government is driven by the shared values of hard work, ambition and aspiration.

"A mistake was made in the organisation of the event. We understand the strength of feeling on this issue and so would apologise to the community and assure them it will not happen again.”

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