Carnival belongs in Notting Hill – it cannot be moved

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Carnival is a celebration of Caribbean culture which has its roots in North Kensington (Getty)

Two million people attending Notting Hill Carnival will always bring challenges, but for every negative image that is published, there were thousands of peaceful carnival-goers joyfully dancing and enjoying Caribbean food over the bank holiday weekend. I was there both days, all day, and I can tell you after working at 12 Carnivals through the years, we make sure issues are always resolved rapidly.

Carnival is a celebration of Caribbean culture which has its roots here in North Kensington. It belongs in Notting Hill.

All the strategic partners – the event organisers, Met Police, Westminster City Council, Greater London Authority, and us, Kensington and Chelsea Council – work together to plan and deliver Carnival. We will continue to support the organisers and work with the police to keep it here for as long as the community wants it.

Sue Harris

Gold Command for Notting Hill Carnival for Kensington and Chelsea Council

Laughingstock of the world

The gall of this government’s ministers to suggest that every problem that has occurred under their tenure is the fault of previous governments, as though they haven’t been in power for 13 years already!

It’s always someone else who is to blame, and just goes to show that they cannot take responsibility for their own failures. We’ve become the laughingstock of the world because of all the lies, deception, and hypocrisy. We desperately need the current lot of MPs out.

Paul Atkins

Burntwood

Money can’t buy you this

I couldn’t agree more with sentiments expressed by Brian May who was saddened to see his bandmate’s effects “knocked down to the highest bidder” during the recent series of star-spangled auctions hawking Freddie Mercury’s stuff to well-heeled investors, fans, and aficionados.

It is sad to see his memory monetised, sullied, and converted into a balance sheet of bank transfers, and auctioneers’ commissions. While many can now proudly display a “piece of Freddie” on their sideboards I’ll stick with my memory of a hugely poignant and almost heartbreaking moment watching him break into “Silent Night” with Queen at the Ally Pally in a pre-Christmas show to a literally spellbound audience. You can’t buy that...

Steve Mackinder

Denver, Norfolk

About time!

So, at long last, Tamworth MP Chris Pincher is resigning his parliamentary seat to seek a new life away from the Westminster bubble.

Yet why did it take Chris Pincher and the Conservatives so long? After all, Pincher was implicated in initial sexual misconduct allegations back in 2017.

Yet in January 2018, he was appointed by Theresa May as deputy chief whip and treasurer of the household. After Boris Johnson became prime minister in July 2019, Pincher was appointed minister of state for Europe and the Americas. In the February 2020 reshuffle, Pincher was appointed minister of state for housing. And in February 2022, Pincher returned to his former role of government deputy chief whip and treasurer of the household.

So, Theresa May could have sacked Pincher but chose not to. Boris Johnson could have kicked Pincher out but chose not to. And Rishi Sunak kicked the Pincher sleaze can even further down the road.

Yet the inevitable finally happened when parliament itself delivered Picher’s knock out punch this week.

All I can say is: about time too!

Geoffrey Brooking

Hampshire

On the Horizon

I read The Independent’s recent editorial and Chis Blackhurst’s column with great interest and agreement. Although this long-drawn-out issue should have been resolved far earlier, it is nevertheless a real, proactive moment to celebrate. I have written before about the grave concerns expressed by the scientific community, as to the chances of Britain slipping away from rejoining this prestigious and pivotal programme. So much like Chris’s friend Matt Birkett, we can all exhale a huge sigh of relief at this news which will be replicated all across the country in vast labs or small scientific enterprises.

This is a significant win for Rishi Sunak. Although I might disagree with him on a multiplicity of issues, there is credence in his pragmatic approach. It knocks back against the dire pugilistic one from his predecessors – an attitude that seemed to inhabit a counterproductive realm of “Let’s stand up to Europe”, never mind the catastrophic cost to our reputation or credibility.

Of course, leading Brexiteers will not be pleased with this so-important realignment with the EU and no doubt will throw their ever-increasing moth-eaten toys out of the pram. But I think we can all live with that. Rejoining Horizon is a very good decision and should be lauded as such.

Judith A Daniels

Norfolk