Nigel Farage calls for Notting Hill Carnival to be moved to Hyde Park to curb violence and control crowds

The Reform leader, 61, is the latest political figure to voice support for relocating the iconic street party from its traditional West London location, following a record number of arrests last year.

Speaking to Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, Mr Farage said: "It's completely outgrown the original concept in terms of the numbers that go.

"A lot of people go and love it — and that's great. But too many go and realise they can run riot, and that has been happening.

"We are very lucky to have something like Hyde Park in London. Let's use it."

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The Clacton MP’s comments come after a Labour MP infuriated carnival organisers by suggesting the August bank holiday celebrations should be moved and turned into a ticketed event.

Jonathan Hinder, a former police inspector, claimed the change would result in "no stabbings" — after eight people were knifed during the 2024 carnival.

Mr Farage stopped short of supporting ticketing, but said relocating to Hyde Park would make the event a "damn sight safer" for attendees.

Around a million people attended last year’s carnival, which celebrates Afro-Caribbean culture across two days during the August bank holiday weekend.

The event requires 7,000 police officers and costs the Met £11.7 million.

The 349 arrests at the 2024 carnival were up 13% from the 308 recorded in 2023, and 67% higher than in 2022, when 209 people were arrested.

During last year’s Sunday ‘family day’, a 32-year-old mother was rushed to hospital in a critical condition after being stabbed in front of her young child.

The former UKIP leader said the past couple of years had been "a disgrace and appalling” for the carnival, with violence prompting one Metropolitan Police officer to warn that “no one is safe” at Europe’s biggest street party.

"The last couple of years have been pretty much a disgrace — and appalling for the residents.

"I wouldn't stop the Notting Hill Carnival. I would move it to Hyde Park. We’ve got the wonderful facility of Hyde Park where we can have festivals and concerts.

"We can also have knife arches so that everyone going in can be checked to make sure they don't have a weapon.

"They can still have a celebration of Caribbean culture — and people would be a damn sight safer."

He added: "It wouldn't have to be ticketed. What we’re worried about here is how you police it — we’re worried about people carrying weapons.

'Belongs to the community'

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London, said:  “The Notting Hill Carnival was born out of the Caribbean community in North Kensington and Notting Hill.

"It ultimately belongs to the community, who decide where it is held.

“The carnival is not organised by the Mayor, but he's committed to working with partners to help ensure everyone can enjoy carnival safely and that we don’t see a repeat of the horrendous incidents from last year.”

"We're worried about members of the public getting caught up in this as they try to go about their lives. So I think this is very simple. "