Downing Street is sorry to British Hindus after serving up meat and alcohol at its Diwali celebration two weeks ago, a spokeswoman for Sir Keir Starmer said on Friday following a row over the annual event.
The Prime Minister was pleased to welcome members of the British Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities to No10 for the reception at the end of October, noting their “huge contribution” to the country, she said.
“A mistake was made in the organisation of the event,” the spokeswoman told reporters.
“We understand the strength of feeling on this issue and so would apologise to the community and assure them it will not happen again.”
Some of the guests present expressed their displeasure after beer, wine and lamb kebabs were served up during the religious festival of lights marking a new year, when observant Hindus abstain from alcohol and meat. Most are vegetarian anyway.
Shivani Raja, the Conservative MP for Leicester East, wrote to Sir Keir to say she was “greatly concerned” that No10 had shown “a disappointing lack of knowledge of the customs and traditions that many British citizens hold dear”.
“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,” she said.
Downing Street first began hosting a Diwali celebration in 2009 when Gordon Brown was Prime Minister.
As chancellor, Rishi Sunak made headlines when he lit diya candles for Diwali on the steps of 11 Downing Street in 2020, and continued the tradition after becoming the UK’s first British-Indian PM.
However, while teetotal, Mr Sunak was not as observant in his diet as some Hindus, professing his fondness for club sandwiches made with chicken and bacon, and pork pies.
