Carnivals

Dan Aldridge Excerpts

Thursday 12th March 2026 Westminster Hall

[Dan Aldridge (Weston-super-Mare) (Lab)]

Thank you, Mrs Harris; it is an honour to serve under your chairship.

I am grateful to the hon. Members for Glastonbury and Somerton (Sarah Dyke) and for Wells and Mendip Hills (Tessa Munt), whose passion for Somerset carnivals and communities I share, for their hard work in securing this debate. I am also grateful to see the Minister in her place. It was a pleasure to welcome her to Weston-super-Mare last year, so that she could launch her appointment as tourism Minister at the Grand Pier. It really mattered and meant a lot to my constituents that she chose my town, which is long overdue serious Government attention and investment. I thank her for that. It speaks to my values, which I believe this Government also hold dear, and to the reason that I fought to represent the town I love back in 2024.

We believe in these communities because we are them, and we need them to succeed. In this job, when we do something important, it can be all too easy to whizz by and think, “Right, what next?” but the debate on this topic matters. No Member of Parliament has previously considered Weston carnival as worthy of note, but an event so impressive and integral to my town’s identity and Somerset’s rich heritage deserves to be recognised, so I am proud to be the first Member of Parliament to talk about Weston carnival in this place.

I have thought a lot about the importance to my family of carnival and all the memories it has given us over the years. One annual tradition is for my mother to say that she is, “not going in this weather”, only to rally at the last minute with a pint of Thatcher’s—well done, Mum. Another is trying to find my sisters, nephews and niece, who insist on setting up camp at one end of town despite knowing that I like the other end of town, and getting across town is a bit of a battle. I am always grateful that my brother lives in town, so I can use his loo—and sometimes dry off—as the parade goes past. While my family try to find each other, we always end up finding and hugging friends, some of whom we see only at carnival because we have busy lives and it is difficult, so that is really important to us. The shops, bars and pubs also stay open to share these experiences with customers and friends.

Having thought it through, I find carnival has been there for some of the biggest moments of my life: as a boost and a distraction during some really sad family bereavements, as something to do when I had no money—that was the case for a few years—and as the background to some of the biggest decisions of my life, not least when a good friend floated the idea that I might want to be Weston’s MP, although that is a story to dissect at a later date. That is just some of the history I share with the carnival; the number of such stories across my town would be incalculable.

Carnival speaks to something fundamental in us all: the need for not only community, but light and joy in the cold winter months. The electric lights and loud music of the carts may be modern, but the spirit of carnival is rooted in something instinctive, human and ancient, just like our historic county. It is about not only resilience and community but defiance and rebellion, allowing us to shake off normality, let loose and extend the season that starts with Halloween and trick-or-treating. Weston carnival is also part of the run-up to Christmas, which I think is why I love it so much. When the Christmas carts come by, I will be singing and dancing to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”. That tradition will live for evermore.

The relationship every person has with carnival is both personal, and shared across their community. That is part of what makes carnival special: it is for everybody, and everyone has their own memories, stories and traditions. It also maintains a deeply local feel, even though it would not look out of place in a Disney or Universal Studios production. When friends visit for carnival, they are blown away. They cannot believe that it is not as globally renowned as carnivals in Rio and Venice. Some people might sneer at that, but they should come and see it before they judge.

Interestingly, however, our best-kept local secret has started to get out. People have started to notice it on Instagram and TikTok. Millions across the world are starting to watch it, and the insights about where people are logging in from show that it sometimes correlates to where other carnivals are. People are interested in what is happening, and I really hope that that translates into them coming and visiting.

I will play favourites when it comes to Weston carnival, as I expect my colleagues will about their carnivals. We all genuinely believe that ours is the best, because place and community matter far more than some might think or believe. In a world of increasing disconnection, carnival is a beautiful, bright, singing, dancing advert for the power of human connection. We put it at risk at our peril. None the less, it is fair to say that to love my carnival is to love them all, because they are an interconnected ecosystem. They all depend on each other, and on a network of thousands of volunteers and families with skills and passion passed down through generations. They maintain, innovate and deliver jaw-dropping, heart-pumping “wow” factor year on year.

For children, going to carnival with their parents is a thing of wonder. It is the most amazing thing to watch young children with their families have these bright eyes and be so in awe of it. It is beautiful, but it is also fun to go with friends for the first time as a teenager—that is a rite of passage. Families stand side by side on the route, parents with bags of snacks and children with light-up toys that are immediately regretted as soon as they get in the car to go home. Every square inch of pavement in Weston is taken up by people who love our carnival, who love the town and who love each other. Those moments stay with you, and they speak to the deep sense of belonging that carnival creates and sustains.

I will talk briefly about the practical importance of carnival for our community. From young children to great-grandparents, people learn from each other, teaching and gaining practical experience in costume design, choreography and theatrical make-up. It is also a huge engineering feat. I really love that Weston college is starting to tap into that and see it as a strategic piece of infrastructure in the town, giving students practical experience in electrical engineering, metalwork, carpentry and construction. Those are exactly the skills that our future economy needs, and they are forged in coastal and rural towns that have been overlooked too often and for too long.

Many of us who represent seaside towns argue for money and strategies to help develop skills, attract investment and build year-round economies. In Weston-super-Mare and across Somerset, we already have a powerful part of the answer—not holding out a begging bowl, but saying, “We want to do this in partnership.” Despite our carnival still flying somewhat under the national radar, it draws more than 400,000 visitors from a worldwide audience, adding to the thousands of residents who turn out loyally year in, year out, bringing vital footfall at a time when coastal businesses need it the most.

Weston carnival is not simply a local spectacle; it has national and international significance as one of the largest illuminated processions in Europe. The thing I find most special about it is that it is built not by companies and corporate giants but by local people, who give their time and talent freely. Young people see their work light up the night for the first time and see the real, tangible impact of hard graft. Ties are built and strengthened across generations by thousands of hours of voluntary effort, building something shared that the whole town, county and country can be proud of.

Brilliant charities participate and raise funds, local businesses sponsor the carnival and dedicated volunteers, including a number of my friends, stay way past the event to clear up the litter when everyone has gone home. As a plea to everybody: make sure you clear up your litter and dispose of it appropriately; do not leave it for volunteers to pick up. But for those volunteers, no sooner has the year’s carnival finished than they are preparing for the next one. That hard work goes on year in, year out and year round. I thank them; they are seen, and they are appreciated.

Carnival is the largest annual event in Weston-super-Mare and a major regional mass participation event. For an event that receives no external funding support, built and run entirely by volunteers and organised by the Weston carnival committee, it is a living, breathing testament to the human spirit and the strength of community. Last year alone, Weston carnival volunteers raised more than £21,000 for local charities and helped to foster a powerful sense of civic pride.

Yet there remains a clear gap between what carnival towns contribute and the support they receive. The UK’s creative industries generate more than £100 billion a year—indeed, they are one of the eight critical sectors in the industrial strategy—yet in Weston that creative power is sustained almost entirely by volunteers, who face rising safety, insurance and infrastructure costs. There is limited access to the funding frameworks available to other cultural institutions, and often a lack of skills and knowledge about how to access them.

If we are serious about growth that is felt across all our communities, investment cannot be confined to summer tourism and hospitality. We must back the wonderful things, such as carnival, that already exist. We must play to our strengths. If we do, coastal economies and towns such as mine can grow sustainably and thrive for the next generation. Those towns matter. It is up to all of us in this place who represent towns to use our voices effectively and collectively to build the case for a better settlement that looks to our unique strengths and does not simply see us as subsidiaries of cities.

Carnival is heritage and soul. It is our unique town culture writ large. It is skills and business, it is community support—and it is real life. It is proof that towns such as Weston are primed to unlock the full creative and economic potential that all of us who are rooted there see in bucketloads. We just need the right engagement and support. Let us back the creators and community champions who step up and do the work to build the community they want to see. I urge my colleagues, the Minister, the Government, the House and the country to see the Weston and Somerset carnivals, and towns such as mine, in those terms.

English Rugby Union: Governance

Dan Aldridge Excerpts

Tuesday 11th March 2025 Westminster Hall

[Dan Aldridge (Weston-super-Mare) (Lab)]

It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond. As the MP for a constituency with not one but two rugby union clubs, the governance of English rugby union is of particular importance to me and my constituents. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Camborne and Redruth (Perran Moon) for securing this debate, and for sharing his expertise, passion and love of the game as well as his beautiful community and constituency.

Rugby plays such a vital role in local communities. It fosters camaraderie, discipline and opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds. There is nowhere in the country that knows this more than my constituency of Weston-super-Mare, where rugby union is part of the very fabric of our town. As I mentioned, we are lucky enough to have two incredible grassroots rugby union teams in Weston—Weston RFC and Hornets RFC, both of whom do an incredible job of representing our town and supporting our community. Both clubs serve as vital hubs of activity and work, and they both work incredibly hard to use rugby as a vehicle to drive positive change. They help to bring us together, offering spaces where people can belong irrespective of their background or ability. That is particularly true for the young people in the town who, thanks to our two clubs, have the chance to engage and excel in sport, learn teamwork and develop resilience. In fact, Weston Rugby Club was home to the first minis section in England almost 50 years ago.

Both clubs do a lot of work to raise awareness of mental health issues in the town. In particular the Hornets work with the phenomenal charity Talk Club. It is an incredible initiative where people across the town come together every week to talk about their mental health in a safe, secure environment. Steve Barnard leads Talk Club in Weston-super-Mare and North Somerset. I pay tribute to him and his leadership and vision to support men’s mental health and knowing where to find the men—go to where the men are if you want to talk about men’s mental health.

I also pay special tribute to the work of Steve Worrall, former head coach at Weston RFC, who sadly died earlier this year, not long after coming back to the club. Ben Milsom at Hornets RFC is an unsung hero, whose contribution to the club has been invaluable. Both men are absolute legends in Weston-super-Mare.

This debate is about how we ensure that clubs like Weston and Hornets can continue to be pillars of the community in the face of mounting challenges. Many English rugby union clubs are facing huge financial problems. Rising operational costs, economic pressures and unsustainable funding models mean that many clubs are struggling to survive. There is a pressing need to protect and improve the financial sustainability of our clubs to ensure they do not just survive but, as my hon. Friend the Member for Camborne and Redruth said, thrive and grow.

While investment at the elite level is crucial in order to grow the game’s wider popularity, we must also prioritise financial support for grassroots clubs. We must see greater transparency and accountability from the RFU to ensure a fairer distribution of resources. It surely cannot be right that RFU executives receive huge bonuses to the tune of millions, while grassroots clubs like Weston and Hornets struggle to get the funds they need to truly thrive and deliver on their potential. Financial support should be targeted to safeguard the future of smaller clubs and the essential work they do for our communities. Initiatives such as improved revenue-sharing mechanisms, enhanced sponsorship opportunities and targeted grassroots funding must be explored.

Rugby has always been a game for the many, not just the few. It thrives when we support clubs at every level. The sustainability of grassroots clubs is not just a matter of sport, but of community and national and regional identity. All stakeholders in English rugby union must work together to build a future where every club, from the grassroots to the top tier, is financially secure and able to flourish for generations to come. If we fail to address these issues, we risk losing not just clubs and the huge benefits they bring to our communities, but the heart and soul of rugby itself.

English Football: Financial Sustainability and Governance

Dan Aldridge Excerpts

Thursday 6th March 2025 Westminster Hall

[Dan Aldridge (Weston-super-Mare) (Lab)]

It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Turner. Football in England is not just a sport; it is a way of life. It binds communities together, gives local communities pride and provides opportunities both on and off the pitch, not least to my amazing nephews and my niece.

In my constituency, Weston-super-Mare AFC�the Seagulls to its fans�is more than just a football club. It is a social hub, a youth development centre and a lifeline for many. The club charity, Seagulls in the Community, led by trustees Andrew Kynaston, Bridget Bolland and Oli Bliss, leads a wide range of projects that have a direct impact on the lives of people in the town, including a youth club, a disability football team, a dementia caf�, and a veterans breakfast to name a few. It also opened the doors to the FUCHSIA cancer support group after its previous venue closed. Julie Crowther has been running this group for over 14 years, but without the football club�s willingness to offer up its facilities free of charge, that much-needed community resource might have been forced to close.

Football is for everyone, not just the elite. If we want our communities to thrive, we must act now to safeguard the entire football pyramid, so that clubs such as Weston-super-Mare AFC and thousands of others can continue to serve their communities for generations to come.

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephanie Peacock]

The hon. Gentleman is an experienced Member of this House who I know spoke on Second Reading of the Bill. His Government, like this one, did not publish private correspondence, but I can absolutely assure the House that I have met UEFA and it does not have any issues.

As the Member of Parliament for Barnsley South, I know how important a club is to the community. Barnsley FC is a huge part of my town, and the community trust does amazing work, but Barnsley football club narrowly avoided administration 20 years ago. Football clubs mean everything to local people, with family, friends and neighbours coming together to watch games, win or lose. In turn, football would be nothing without its fans.

Hon. Members have spoken so well today about what clubs mean to their communities. We have heard from so many: Reading, Aylesbury United, Oxford United, Brighton and Hove, Luton Town, Grimsby Town, Norwich City, Chesterfield, Coventry City, Port Vale FC, Derby County FC, Morecambe FC, Carlisle United FC, Basingstoke Town, Bolton Wanderers, Bracknell Town, Mansfield Town and Weston-super-Mare. That really shows the strength of debate up and down this country and across this House. Despite bigger revenues than ever coming into the game, too many loyal fans have had their attention forced away from the pitch and into the troubles of malicious ownership, mishandled finances and ultimately the worry that their cherished clubs might be lost.

[Dan Aldridge]

While the Tories and Reform might be happy to see rogue owners running roughshod over fans and players across the country, does the Minister agree that this Labour Government will not allow fans to be taken for fools any longer?

[Stephanie Peacock]

My hon. Friend is right: the Government are on the side of football fans. That is why we have introduced the Football Governance Bill: to put fans back at the heart of the game.