No 10 has apologised after meat and alcohol were served at a Downing Street event to celebrate the festival of Diwali, held last month. In a letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Conservative MP Shivani Raja said the decision was "not in keeping with the customs of many Hindus" and displayed a "disappointing lack of knowledge of the customs and traditions that many British citizens hold dear".

Downing Street issued a pleading apology Friday to the United Kingdom’s Hindu community after they served meat and alcohol during a celebration for the Diwali holiday. The official resident and office of the Prime Minister are attempting to save face after they received a backlash from the public,

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Diwali reception at Downing Street has sparked major controversy after meat and alcohol were served, leading to an apology from his office. British Indian MP Shivani Raja expressed disappointment over the event’s failure to respect Hindu traditions.