CAMPAIGNERS have urged the government to step in to protect the future of Notting Hill Carnival as they marked Windrush Day today.

The west London carnival is in jeopardy, its chairman Ian Comfort said in a letter on Wednesday, when he asked Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to provide urgent funding to save the event.

Jacqueline McKenzie, a campaigner and human rights lawyer who helped victims of the Windrush scandal, said the carnival holds “huge national and international significance.”

“The government needs to recognise this and act urgently to protect it,” Ms McKenzie said.

In the late 1950s, Notting Hill became home to many people from the Caribbean who arrived in Britain on the Windrush and accompanying ships, and the carnival was founded by pioneers of that generation including communist Claudia Jones.

Ms McKenzie said the carnival being at risk “adds insult to injury” for victims of the Windrush scandal.

“It should not be lost on us that these funding concerns coincide with Windrush Day on Sunday,” she said.

“Carnival embodies the fundamental role of black and Caribbean communities in Britain, and the government should be upholding the Windrush legacy instead of undermining it.”

Professor Patrick Vernon, a cultural historian and Windrush campaigner, called Notting Hill Carnival “a vital cultural institution with both national and international significance.”

A government spokesman said: “Notting Hill Carnival is an important community event, and we recognise that for many it is a moment to come together and celebrate.

“We all want this to go ahead, and event organisers should work with local authorities and the police to keep it safe for everyone attending.”