Sir Keir Starmer has referred to as for the senior Conservative to be sacked.
Sir Keir Starmer has referred to as for the senior Conservative to be sacked. (Picture: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer has referred to as for a senior Conservative to be sacked after he controversially described the Muslim prayers held in Trafalgar Sq., led by London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, as an “act of domination.” On Tuesday (March 18), Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy posted a video of a whole lot of Muslims praying in London on Monday night as they celebrated iftar – the meal that breaks the Ramadan quick.
Talking at PMQs on Wednesday (March 18), the PM referred to as Mr Timothy’s feedback “completely appalling” and informed Tory chief Kemi Badenoch that she ought to denounce his phrases and “sack him” from his function within the shadow cupboard. He stated he had by no means heard the Conservatives name out something aside from Muslim occasions, which led him to conclude “the Tory social gathering has received an issue with Muslims”. Nevertheless, Ms Badenoch defended her shadow Justice Secretary, saying he was “defending British values”.
Sir Sadiq Khan hosted the occasion, the place he could possibly be seen praying with others (Picture: Getty)
Sir Sadiq hosted the occasion in Trafalgar Sq., the place he could possibly be seen praying with others and giving a speech by which he celebrated Jewish, Christian, Hindus and atheists who joined them. Talking on the occasion, he stated: “We see the forces of division and darkness pitting communities towards one another, attempting to cower us and scare us to be much less Muslim, to be much less Islamic. We have proven throughout this month of Ramadan the ability of being a Muslim. The enjoyment of being British.”
Mr Timothy, who served as joint chief of workers for Theresa Could when she was PM (2016-17), wrote: “Too many are too well mannered to say this, however mass ritual prayer in public locations is an act of domination.
“The adhan [call to prayer] – which declares there isn’t a god however Allah and Muhammad is his messenger – is, when referred to as in a public place, a declaration of domination.”
He stated “these rituals” must be carried out in mosques, “however they don’t seem to be welcome in our public locations and shared establishments”.
“I’m not suggesting all people at Trafalgar Sq. final evening is an Islamist. However the domination of public locations is straight from the Islamist playbook,” he added. “It was an act of domination and due to this fact division. It should not occur once more.”
Too many are too well mannered to say this.
However mass ritual prayer in public locations is an act of domination.
The adhan – which declares there isn’t a god however allah and Muhammad is his messenger – is, when referred to as in a public place, a declaration of domination.
Carry out these rituals in… pic.twitter.com/PIfJAgb7Zk
— Nick Timothy MP (@NJ_Timothy) March 17, 2026
London’s mayor hit again at Mr Timothy by posting photos of Monday evening’s gathering together with images in Trafalgar Sq. of crowds celebrating Christian Easter, Hindu Diwali, Sikh Vaisakhi and Jewish Hannukkah.
“London is, and can at all times be, a spot for everybody. #UnityOverDivision,” he wrote on X.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy informed Mr Timothy to “cease fanning the flames of division” as he too identified Sikhs, Jews, Hindus and Christians “are all invited to mark non secular festivals on Trafalgar Sq. by Sadiq Khan”. In the meantime, Lucy Powell, deputy chief of the Labour Get together, referred to as it “an excessive response” as she stated folks of all religions working collectively is the “actual Britain, not the determined hatred being whipped up right here by a number one Tory”.
Former Conservative Lawyer Common Dominic Grieve described Mr Timothy’s feedback as a “very odd publish from a Conservative who says he believes in freedom of expression beneath legislation and is a principal spokesman of the Free Speech Union”.
2,000 folks attended the occasion at Trafalgar Sq. on Monday night (Picture: Getty)
Nevertheless, Mr Timothy was defended by Tory colleagues, with Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden telling Sky Information he thought mass prayer in public locations will be an act of domination “in sure circumstances for all types of various teams”. Conservative Get together chairman Kevin Hollinrake wrote on X: “We help Nick Timothy 100%.”
On Wednesday, Mr Timothy accused folks of “wilful misunderstanding,” which he stated “says every part concerning the folks behind the ‘Islamophobia’ definition”. He stated the purpose was not that Muslims gathered on Trafalgar Sq. however that “mass ritual prayer in public – on this case subsequent to a church – is an act of domination”.
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“So is the general public name of the adhan, which explicitly denies different religions contains Christianity – that’s the distinction,” he stated.
He accused Mr Grieve and Labour MPs of failing to “interact with the substance”, including: “folks like Dominic cannot work out why the ideological world they constructed is falling aside”.
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