Amina Taylor, in her article on the annual anti-racist festival, Rise: London United, argues that "the fight to end racism will need more than one big party every year" (Music festivals against racism give everyone a grand day out - but are they any use?, May 29). If Rise was the only thing my administration did in the fight against racism, then she would have a point, but it is not. Far from being ineffective, the anti-racist politics, of which the Rise festival is one part, have seen racist attacks in London fall by 35% over the last five years.
But these gains do not mean that we no longer have a problem with racism and that we can move on. Whether it is rightwing press campaigns that stigmatise asylum seekers and Muslims, the desecration of Jewish cemeteries, or the gains made by the far right in the local elections, anti-racist politics - including music festivals - are as relevant as ever. And contrary to the implication in Amina's conclusion, racism is an issue that has to be tackled throughout the city - not simply in boroughs where BNP councillors get elected.
As to whether "large, free-for-all gatherings like [Rise] are effective", recent polls have shown that 80% of Londoners want me as mayor to support events that celebrate London and its diverse communities. That is because Londoners value their city's unique character and want to celebrate it - 85% enjoy the capital's cultural diversity.
Amina complains that at the festival she attended, "among the youths on a day out with their mates" were "thousands of middle-class white folks patting themselves on the back for being so tolerant". I welcome the mix of the audience, and do not share her cynicism about the motives of those who attend. They want to express their opposition to racism and spend the day with others listening to music. I can't see the downside.
Amina then claims that these same people will take the trip to this year's venue, Finsbury Park, but "would never venture into an east London nightclub to see these acts because there would be a lot more black folks around". Finsbury Park, though, is an inner-London park with a mixed local community. Far from being a festival for the middle classes, the last Rise festival took place in Burgess Park, Southwark, at the heart of one of our biggest housing estates. This year's festival will have one of the broadest main stages we have ever assembled - with artists like The Wailers, Sway, Graham Coxon, Roy Ayers, Buzzcocks and Duke Spirit.
It will be a powerful way of getting our anti-racist message into media that often do not cover politics at all, as well as into schools and youth groups.
Fighting racism is a daily fight and a political priority. There will be no scaling back of any part of that fight while I am mayor.
· Ken Livingstone is the mayor of London
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