Notting Hill Carnival in 2025 could determinate Sadiq Khan's fate

In the heart of London, the Notting Hill Carnival is a vibrant celebration of culture and diversity. However, recent years have seen a surge in costs and incidents associated with the event, sparking concerns among Londoners and local authorities.

According to reports, shifting the Carnival away from the Bank Holiday weekend could yield significant savings. Overtime payments accounted for more than half of last year's policing costs, totalling over £11.8 million. This figure is a stark reminder of the financial burden the event places on the city.

The Metropolitan Police have voiced concerns about a potential Hillsborough-like crush event at the Carnival. In 2021 alone, 75 police officers were injured while working at the event, a number that has increased every year since 2018. In 2024, there were 8 stabbings at the Carnival, with at least one of them being fatal. Since 2017, there have been a total of 55 stabbing incidents.

These incidents have not gone unnoticed. James Ford, a public affairs consultant and former adviser to Boris Johnson, suggests that the Mayor should have used the organizers' pleas for more taxpayer cash to demand reforms to protect Londoners. The Conservatives on the London Assembly have urged the mayor to take direct control of the Carnival, proposing measures such as moving the event to a more suitable location like Hyde Park and reducing the burden on taxpayers by attracting sponsors and charging for tickets.

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (RBK&C) has shouldered an additional £1m on street cleaning for the Carnival in 2021. Tory calculations show that RBK&C residents host 2 million drunken revellers every year. The cost of the Carnival over the next five years is estimated to be between £80m and £100m, a hefty sum that has led to calls for more accountability.

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, cannot ignore the palpable public concern over both the increased risk of crime and fatalities at the Carnival. However, there are no specific measures mentioned that Mr. Khan has taken in recent years to reduce the number of incidents and violent crimes at the event. Proposals such as introducing a ticket system and possibly relocating the carnival have been suggested by different officials.

The Mayor could consider rebranding the event as the 'London Carnival' and invite other boroughs to bid to host it each year. This could help distribute the costs and potential risks more evenly across London. As a London taxpayer, you are subsidizing the costs associated with the Notting Hill Carnival. If the number of stabbings, arrests, or injured police officers during this year's Carnival is comparable to last year's levels, the Mayor will have difficult questions to answer.

City Hall contributed nearly £2m to pay for stewarding at the Notting Hill Carnival in 2022, which is double what they paid in 2021. Neither City Hall nor London Councils can credibly plead poverty if they have millions of pounds available every year to fund the Carnival. It is time for a thorough review of the Carnival's management and funding to ensure that Londoners are not bearing an unfair burden.