Fury as prime Tory calls Muslim Trafalgar Square prayers ‘act of domination’ | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Sir Keir Starmer has referred to as for a senior Conservative to be sacked after he controversially described the Muslim prayers held in Trafalgar Square, 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 lots of of Muslims praying in London on Monday night as they celebrated iftar – the meal that breaks the Ramadan quick.

Speaking at PMQs on Wednesday (March 18), the PM referred to as Mr Timothy’s feedback “utterly appalling” and instructed Tory chief Kemi Badenoch that she ought to denounce his phrases and “sack him” from his function within the shadow cupboard. He mentioned he had by no means heard the Conservatives name out something apart from Muslim occasions, which led him to conclude “the Tory party has got a problem with Muslims”. However, Ms Badenoch defended her shadow Justice Secretary, saying he was “defending British values”.

Sir Sadiq hosted the occasion in Trafalgar Square, the place he could possibly be seen praying with others and giving a speech wherein he celebrated Jewish, Christian, Hindus and atheists who joined them. Speaking on the occasion, he mentioned: “We see the forces of division and darkness pitting communities against each other, trying to cower us and scare us to be less Muslim, to be less Islamic. We’ve shown during this month of Ramadan the power of being a Muslim. The joy of being British.”

Mr Timothy, who served as joint chief of employees for Theresa May when she was PM (2016-17), wrote: “Too many are too polite to say this, but mass ritual prayer in public places is an act of domination.

“The adhan [call to prayer] – which declares there is no such thing as a god however Allah and Muhammad is his messenger – is, when referred to as in a public place, a declaration of domination.”

He mentioned “these rituals” should be performed in mosques, “however they don’t seem to be welcome in our public locations and shared establishments”.

“I’m not suggesting everyone at Trafalgar Square final night time is an Islamist. But the domination of public locations is straight from the Islamist playbook,” he added. “It was an act of domination and subsequently division. It should not occur once more.”

London’s mayor hit back at Mr Timothy by posting pictures of Monday night’s gathering along with photos in Trafalgar Square of crowds celebrating Christian Easter, Hindu Diwali, Sikh Vaisakhi and Jewish Hannukkah.

“London is, and can all the time be, a spot for everybody. #UnityOverDivision,” he wrote on X.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy told Mr Timothy to “cease fanning the flames of division” as he too pointed out Sikhs, Jews, Hindus and Christians “are all invited to mark non secular festivals on Trafalgar Square by Sadiq Khan”. Meanwhile, Lucy Powell, deputy leader of the Labour Party, called it “an excessive response” as she said people of all religions working together is the “actual Britain, not the determined hatred being whipped up right here by a number one Tory”.

Former Conservative Attorney General Dominic Grieve described Mr Timothy’s comments as a “very odd put up from a Conservative who says he believes in freedom of expression beneath regulation and is a principal spokesman of the Free Speech Union”.

However, Mr Timothy was defended by Tory colleagues, with Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden telling Sky News he thought mass prayer in public places can be an act of domination “in sure circumstances for all types of various teams”. Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake wrote on X: “We help Nick Timothy 100%.”

On Wednesday, Mr Timothy accused people of “wilful misunderstanding,” which he said “says the whole lot concerning the individuals behind the ‘Islamophobia’ definition”. He said the point was not that Muslims gathered on Trafalgar Square but that “mass ritual prayer in public – on this case subsequent to a church – is an act of domination”.

“So is the general public name of the adhan, which explicitly denies different religions contains Christianity – that’s the distinction,” he said.

He accused Mr Grieve and Labour MPs of failing to “have interaction with the substance”, adding: “individuals like Dominic cannot work out why the ideological world they constructed is falling aside”.