Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Traditions

Thursday 26 February 2026 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Rachel Hopkins inquired about the importance of Luton carnival as a tradition for celebrating cultural diversity and community cohesion.
  • The Minister expressed willingness to attend Luton carnival and invited a submission to the living heritage inventories.
  • Hopkins also questioned the Government about support for traditional British cricket clubs.
  • The Minister responded that the Government is committed to ensuring that all sports clubs, including cricket clubs, thrive.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Rachel Hopkins Lab Luton South and South Bedfordshire
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The question is prompted by the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Luton international carnival, which the MP views as a significant local tradition.

Question

I think that 50 years means it qualifies as a UK tradition—it is definitely a Luton tradition. Does the Minister agree that events such as Luton carnival are vital for celebrating the rich cultural diversity of our country and strengthening community cohesion, and may I invite him to Luton to join in with carnival this year?

Answer from Ian Murray

I would be delighted to go to Luton carnival; it sounds slightly less scary than participating in skeleton. We would welcome a submission to the living heritage inventories for Luton carnival, which is an important event in my hon. Friend's constituency.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not explicitly agree or disagree about the importance of the carnival for cultural diversity and community cohesion.

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Q2 Rachel Hopkins Lab Luton South and South Bedfordshire
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The MP refers to the financial difficulties faced by local cricket clubs due to changes in national insurance costs and other cost pressures.

Question

There is no finer UK tradition still lived out than drinking a cold beer and watching the local cricket team that has been there for decades. What more support will the Government announce for our traditional British cricket clubs?

Answer from Ian Murray

We know our cricket clubs and all our sports clubs are right at the heart of our communities. We want them to thrive and they should be thriving. This Government are fully committed to ensuring that all our sports clubs thrive.

Not addressed: The Minister did not provide any concrete support or specific measures for cricket clubs.

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