The religious celebration of Diwali, known as the "festival of lights", usually passes by unnoticed by politicians at Westminster.
But this year, with a General Election looming, it is different. Politicials have been clammering to host parties for Britain's 1.5 million Hindus, Sikhs and Jains.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Conservative leader david Cameron (who is very likely to become Prime Minister next year) both held parties celebrating Diwali for the first time.
The Queen also held events for some of Britain's sportsmen and women who follow minority faiths, such as the cricketers Monty Panesar (who plays for Northamptonshire and England) and Samit Patel (who plays for Nottinghamshire and England) and English footballer Michael Chopra, who plays for Cardiff City. Panesar, Patel and Chopra are all Sikhs - Panesar was the first Sikh to represent a nation other than India in any sport.
Around 800,000 people who celebrate Diwali are eligible to vote, but are less likely to vote Labour than people from other ethnic minorities. Around 90 per cent of African Caribbeans vote for Labour but just 65 per cent of Hindus do so.
Britain has, by far, Europe's largest Hindu population.
So Cameron and Brown are trying to woo those who celebrate Diwali.
Diwali wars: As Election fight looms, politicians and the Palace vie to host parties for Hindu festival of lights
By Glen Owen, Mail on Sunday Political Correspondent
25th October 2009
Daily Mail
Cricketer, Mudhsuden Singh (or "Monty") Panesar, in action for England, is the first Sikh to represent a nation other than India in any sport
It is a sparkling religious festival that is celebrated widely in the Indian community – but one that normally passes virtually unrecognised at Westminster.
However, this year politicians have been falling over themselves to host parties for Diwali, the five-day ‘festival of lights’ marked earlier this month by 1.5million of the UK’s Hindus, Sikhs and Jains.
Gordon Brown and David Cameron held personal Diwali parties for the first time, and separate events were hosted by the Queen and MPs.
Party time: Bharti Tailor puts a garland on Sally and John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons
During the celebrations, small clay lamps filled with oil are lit to signify ‘victory over the evil within’ and sweets are shared between guests.
The outbreak of ‘Diwali wars’ – as it was dubbed by one MP – left some guests confused about which events to attend, while others, such as the controversial millionaire Lord Paul, happily accepted multiple invitations.
Sceptical community leaders said they were delighted by the sudden upsurge of interest in their traditions – but hoped it would continue after next year’s General Election.
David Cameron was first out of the Diwali blocks, hosting an event for 600 people at Tory headquarters on Monday October 12. The £10,000 party was funded by Dolar Popat, the care home mogul whose wealth is estimated at more than £40million.
‘It was completely chaotic,’ said one guest. ‘Cameron clearly hadn’t held one of these parties before, and some guests were left grumbling that he hadn’t shaken their hands.’
Light night: Gordon Brown receives a garland made from flowers as he hosts a reception at No 10 to celebrate Diwali, the festival of light
The following day the Queen held a ‘Bollywood’ party in Buckingham Palace’s ballroom for more than 350 guests, including actress Meera Syal and cricketer Monty Panesar.
The event – not strictly a Diwali celebration – was also the first outing of the week for Lord Paul, the 78-year old industrialist worth an estimated £500million who is being being investigated over his House of Lords expenses. He has claimed his ‘main home’ was a one-bedroom flat that he had never slept in and was occupied by one of his employees.
On Wednesday October 14, the Parliamentary Diwali event was hosted jointly by Labour MP Keith Vaz, Tory MP Mark Field and Lib Dem Sarah Teather.
Ms Teather trumped her rivals by secretly learning Hindi and using the language to welcome guests including Commons Speaker John Bercow and his wife Sally.
Confusingly, a separate Parliamentary event for 100 guests was held the next day, hosted by Labour MP Tony McNulty – defending a 4,700 majority in Harrow East, a constituency with many ethnic minority voters.
On Friday October 16, Gordon Brown threw a Diwali party at Downing Street for guests including Baroness Shriti Vadera and curry millionaire Sir Gulam Noon.
Nice to meet you: Queen Elizabeth meets sportsmen (left to right) Samit Patel, Michael Chopra and Monty Panesar
Mr Brown, who lit a lamp placed amid idols of Lord Rama and Krishna, told the guests: ‘This is a great day for Britain to welcome you to celebrate Diwali for the first time in Downing Street.’
One guest present claimed that Lord Paul had managed to ‘blag in’ 12 guests to the event while ‘everyone else was restricted to two’.
Bharti Tailor, secretary general of the Hindu Forum of Britain, which co-hosted the Wednesday Parliamentary event, said she was delighted by the sudden interest in Diwali.
‘It is wonderful that there were so many celebrations this year, when normally there are hardly any,’ she said. ‘The political parties are definitely vying for the Hindu vote.’
An estimated 800,000 Diwali celebrants are eligible to vote – and are less overwhelmingly Labour-supporting than other ethnic minorities. Around 90 per cent of African Caribbeans vote for Labour but just 65 per cent of Hindus do so.
Mr Vaz, who also attended the Downing Street event, commented: ‘You wait for years for a Diwali party, then four come along at once.’
dailymail.co.uk
But this year, with a General Election looming, it is different. Politicials have been clammering to host parties for Britain's 1.5 million Hindus, Sikhs and Jains.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Conservative leader david Cameron (who is very likely to become Prime Minister next year) both held parties celebrating Diwali for the first time.
The Queen also held events for some of Britain's sportsmen and women who follow minority faiths, such as the cricketers Monty Panesar (who plays for Northamptonshire and England) and Samit Patel (who plays for Nottinghamshire and England) and English footballer Michael Chopra, who plays for Cardiff City. Panesar, Patel and Chopra are all Sikhs - Panesar was the first Sikh to represent a nation other than India in any sport.
Around 800,000 people who celebrate Diwali are eligible to vote, but are less likely to vote Labour than people from other ethnic minorities. Around 90 per cent of African Caribbeans vote for Labour but just 65 per cent of Hindus do so.
Britain has, by far, Europe's largest Hindu population.
So Cameron and Brown are trying to woo those who celebrate Diwali.
Diwali wars: As Election fight looms, politicians and the Palace vie to host parties for Hindu festival of lights
By Glen Owen, Mail on Sunday Political Correspondent
25th October 2009
Daily Mail
Cricketer, Mudhsuden Singh (or "Monty") Panesar, in action for England, is the first Sikh to represent a nation other than India in any sport
It is a sparkling religious festival that is celebrated widely in the Indian community – but one that normally passes virtually unrecognised at Westminster.
However, this year politicians have been falling over themselves to host parties for Diwali, the five-day ‘festival of lights’ marked earlier this month by 1.5million of the UK’s Hindus, Sikhs and Jains.
Gordon Brown and David Cameron held personal Diwali parties for the first time, and separate events were hosted by the Queen and MPs.
Party time: Bharti Tailor puts a garland on Sally and John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons
During the celebrations, small clay lamps filled with oil are lit to signify ‘victory over the evil within’ and sweets are shared between guests.
The outbreak of ‘Diwali wars’ – as it was dubbed by one MP – left some guests confused about which events to attend, while others, such as the controversial millionaire Lord Paul, happily accepted multiple invitations.
Sceptical community leaders said they were delighted by the sudden upsurge of interest in their traditions – but hoped it would continue after next year’s General Election.
David Cameron was first out of the Diwali blocks, hosting an event for 600 people at Tory headquarters on Monday October 12. The £10,000 party was funded by Dolar Popat, the care home mogul whose wealth is estimated at more than £40million.
‘It was completely chaotic,’ said one guest. ‘Cameron clearly hadn’t held one of these parties before, and some guests were left grumbling that he hadn’t shaken their hands.’
Light night: Gordon Brown receives a garland made from flowers as he hosts a reception at No 10 to celebrate Diwali, the festival of light
The following day the Queen held a ‘Bollywood’ party in Buckingham Palace’s ballroom for more than 350 guests, including actress Meera Syal and cricketer Monty Panesar.
The event – not strictly a Diwali celebration – was also the first outing of the week for Lord Paul, the 78-year old industrialist worth an estimated £500million who is being being investigated over his House of Lords expenses. He has claimed his ‘main home’ was a one-bedroom flat that he had never slept in and was occupied by one of his employees.
On Wednesday October 14, the Parliamentary Diwali event was hosted jointly by Labour MP Keith Vaz, Tory MP Mark Field and Lib Dem Sarah Teather.
Ms Teather trumped her rivals by secretly learning Hindi and using the language to welcome guests including Commons Speaker John Bercow and his wife Sally.
Confusingly, a separate Parliamentary event for 100 guests was held the next day, hosted by Labour MP Tony McNulty – defending a 4,700 majority in Harrow East, a constituency with many ethnic minority voters.
On Friday October 16, Gordon Brown threw a Diwali party at Downing Street for guests including Baroness Shriti Vadera and curry millionaire Sir Gulam Noon.
Nice to meet you: Queen Elizabeth meets sportsmen (left to right) Samit Patel, Michael Chopra and Monty Panesar
Mr Brown, who lit a lamp placed amid idols of Lord Rama and Krishna, told the guests: ‘This is a great day for Britain to welcome you to celebrate Diwali for the first time in Downing Street.’
One guest present claimed that Lord Paul had managed to ‘blag in’ 12 guests to the event while ‘everyone else was restricted to two’.
Bharti Tailor, secretary general of the Hindu Forum of Britain, which co-hosted the Wednesday Parliamentary event, said she was delighted by the sudden interest in Diwali.
‘It is wonderful that there were so many celebrations this year, when normally there are hardly any,’ she said. ‘The political parties are definitely vying for the Hindu vote.’
An estimated 800,000 Diwali celebrants are eligible to vote – and are less overwhelmingly Labour-supporting than other ethnic minorities. Around 90 per cent of African Caribbeans vote for Labour but just 65 per cent of Hindus do so.
Mr Vaz, who also attended the Downing Street event, commented: ‘You wait for years for a Diwali party, then four come along at once.’
dailymail.co.uk
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