Carnivals

Ashley Fox Excerpts

Thursday 12th March 2026 Westminster Hall

[Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Harris. I thank my Somerset neighbour, the hon. Member for Glastonbury and Somerton (Sarah Dyke), for opening this debate and describing how important carnivals are to Somerset’s culture, life and economy. My neighbour in north Somerset, the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare (Dan Aldridge), made an excellent contribution, highlighting how important carnival is to our communities across Somerset. I also thank the hon. Member for Luton South and South Bedfordshire (Rachel Hopkins) for reminding us that there are thriving carnivals outside Somerset as well.

I am delighted to respond to this debate, because the Guy Fawkes carnival in Bridgwater is the oldest of its kind in our country. We can trace its history back to the famous gunpowder plot of 1605; Parliament decreed the lighting of bonfires in memory of the event, and the people of Bridgwater embraced the tradition with some enthusiasm. Perhaps that was because Bridgwater was strongly Protestant, or perhaps it was because they were fans of their elected parliamentarians—I appreciate that may seem unlikely to today’s Members of Parliament. Whatever the reason, those early celebrations eventually grew into the magnificent spectacle that now takes to the streets of Bridgwater each year on the first Saturday of November and then continues across Somerset.

Unfortunately, the earliest years were not well recorded, as local newspapers did not appear in the town until the mid-19th century. Luckily, once journalistic records started in 1847, we can trace the development of the carnival more clearly, making it clear that Bridgwater Guy Fawkes carnival is the oldest event of its kind in the United Kingdom. In those days, celebrations centred around a huge bonfire on the Cornhill in the centre of the town. People from all corners of Bridgwater would parade to the fire, often in costume. However, in 1880, the parade descended into disorder and rioting—it is believed that alcohol may have played a part in this. A letter written by Mr Frank Squire to the Bridgwater Mercury—which is still our town’s newspaper—provided a solution: he suggested forming a controlling committee and organising an official procession so that the magnificent costumes could be seen throughout the town. The idea garnered significant support among residents of the town and the very next year the first carnival, as we would recognise it today, took place. We now have the longest-running carnival in the country, and that is why we are proud to call Bridgwater the home of carnival. It has been my pleasure, as Bridgwater’s MP, to visit the sheds where the carts are built, attend the carnival concerts and watch the spectacular performances, to watch the magnificent carnival as it moves slowly through the town—and finally, to take part in the squibbing.

If you have not witnessed it, Mrs Harris, squibbing has nothing to do with Harry Potter; it involves simultaneously lighting a great many fireworks attached to coshes and up to 150 squibbers holding them overhead. I want to pay tribute to the many volunteers who make costumes, rehearse their acts, construct their carts, judge the entries, raise funds, and undertake the many other hundreds of tasks that are necessary to put on this fantastic spectacle. I particularly thank Dave Creedy, the president of the Bridgwater Guy Fawkes carnival, and his committee for their tireless work. Thanks also to the many carnival clubs within my constituency. I pay tribute to Bridgwater Belles, British Flag, Cavaliers, Centurion, Crusaders, Gremlins, Griffens, Lime Kiln, Marina Sydenham Juvenile, Marketeers, Newmarket, Hill View, Pentathlon, Ramblers, Renegades, Toppers, Vagabonds, Westonzoyland, Wilfs and Wills. I doubt any other constituency has more carnival clubs than Bridgwater.

While carnivals are an extraordinary spectacle that attract hundreds of thousands of tourists to Somerset’s towns every year, they are increasingly expensive to run. The cost of insurance increases every year. Then there are the costs of compliance with regulations, the cost of diesel and of disposing of waste, and how His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs does not allow VAT relief on all the related expenditure that is necessary for the carnival to fulfil its charitable goals.

The Minister will be pleased to hear me say that these problems did not start in 2024, but they do increase little by little each year. The cumulative effect is to make life more difficult for the great teams of volunteers who put in so much work to run our carnivals across Britain. Will the Minister confirm that the Government value our carnivals? Does she acknowledge the contribution that they make to encouraging volunteering and to engaging young and old alike in community projects, to raising money for charity and boosting tourism? Will she commit to working on a cross-party basis to ensure that this great tradition is able to continue for another 180 years?

Oral Answers to Questions

Ashley Fox Excerpts

Thursday 26th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Stephanie Peacock]

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Team GB at the winter Olympics. It was a real pleasure to be out in Italy cheering them on in their most successful winter games yet.

I pay tribute to the lady the hon. Gentleman mentioned. We want everyone, whatever their age, to be able to be active, and we are always interested to hear ideas about future major sporting events.

[Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con)]

Bridgwater is the home of carnival. At nearly 180 years old, ours is the oldest carnival in the UK. This fantastic cultural event promotes an active lifestyle among the whole community. However, every year the cost of complying with legislation makes it that little bit harder to continue. Will the Minister meet with me and members of the carnival to discuss what support might be available so that this fantastic spectacle continues for another 180 years?

[Mr Speaker]

That is a shoehorned question—good luck!

Football Governance Bill [Lords]

Ashley Fox Excerpts

2nd reading
Monday 28th April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con)]

Football is not just an important cultural institution in Britain, but one of our great successes and our most successful export. I accept that the Government have only the best of intentions in wanting to set up an independent regulator and I am sure Labour Members genuinely believe this Bill will achieve good things, but I fear they are mistaken.

I fear that the regulator will hinder growth in a sector that should be powering our economy forward instead of being held back by red tape and political interference. The Prime Minister says he wants to reduce the number of quangos yet has set up 41 new ones in his first eight months in office. That is because this Government’s first instinct is always to regulate first and ask questions later. How long will it be until an independent cricket regulator is proposed, and perhaps rugby after that—we could have two, one for union and the other for league?

I believe we should make a different choice: we should accept that the state already does too many things in our country and does many of those things not very well. I believe that we should limit the role of the state to a smaller number of areas and demand that it performs those roles better.

This Bill threatens the future health of English football. Labour’s changes to the remit of the regulator will impose a significant regulatory burden, which will be felt particularly harshly by lower league clubs. The ultimate cost will be borne by the fans. Ticket prices, already rising on average by 7% this season, will rise further. Compliance costs for clubs are estimated at £35 million; that is money that could be spent on football instead of compliance. Is that really a good use of money?

The operational costs of the regulator are estimated to be £97.9 million, all funded through a new levy. Small clubs will struggle under the burden. What the Government are saying is that they want to take £130 million out of the game and spend it on administration. That means that the cost of Labour will yet again be felt by working people, despite what the Government claim.

I am fully aware that it was a Conservative Government who launched the fan-led review into football governance chaired by Dame Tracey Crouch. That review made targeted recommendations for an independent regulator, focused solely on financial stability and protecting club heritage. The previous Football Governance Bill, introduced last year, tried to strike that careful balance. While I would have had questions about that Bill, I have even more significant concerns about this one. That is because Labour’s version is a different beast. It has expanded the regulator’s remit to cover parachute payments, solidarity payments, fan engagement mandates, new spending controls, and unnecessary diversity, equality and inclusion reporting.

This Bill will take £130 million out of football and spend it on administration. It will expand the role of the state into a sector that is commercially successful and where that intervention is unnecessary. It is more Government at a time when we need less, and that is why I shall oppose this Bill tonight.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)]

Order. As hon. Members can see, a number of Members still wish to speak, so the time limit will be reduced to three minutes after the next speaker, Jon Pearce.

Oral Answers to Questions

Ashley Fox Excerpts

Thursday 16th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lisa Nandy]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue. When I met representatives from the Jewish community recently about antisemitism in the arts, I was shocked and horrified by some of their experiences, and we are working closely with them to tackle it. I can confirm to my hon. Friend that I have raised this issue directly with the BBC director general. I am aware that the BBC gets criticism from all sides about its reporting and has a difficult balance to strike, but we are determined to work with the BBC and support it to get that right.

[Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con)]

Tourism is very important to Burnham-on-Sea, Berrow and Brean in my constituency. Will the Secretary of State reassure business owners in those towns and villages that her Government have no plans to introduce a tourism tax?

[Chris Bryant]

We have no plans to introduce additional taxes. I want to get 50 million international visitors coming to the UK, because our tourism industry is an important part of what we do well in this country. That is why I will be hosting the first visitor economy advisory council on Monday morning.