Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office issued an apology on Friday for a "mistake" in organising its Diwali reception at 10 Downing Street after some British Hindus raised concerns about the serving of non-vegetarian food and alcohol at the event.Although the statement did not directly address the menu, a spokesperson for Starmer's office acknowledged the community's strong feelings on the matter and assured that such a situation would not occur again in the future."The Prime Minister was pleased to welcome a range of communities celebrating Diwali to a reception in Downing Street," a Downing Street spokesperson said."He paid tribute to the huge contribution the British Hindu, Sikh and 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," the spokesperson said."We understand the strength of feeling on this issue and so would apologise to the community and assure them it will not happen again," the spokesperson added.The statement followed a formal letter from British Indian Conservative Party MP Shivani Raja to Starmer, expressing concerns over the reception not being "in keeping with the customs of many Hindus"."I feel it 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," reads her letter posted on social media.
