Shadow justice secretary says mass prayer in Trafalgar Square is ‘Islamist act of domination’

Timothy continued: “I am not suggesting everybody at Trafalgar Square last night is an Islamist. But the domination of public places is straight from the Islamist playbook. Trafalgar Square belongs to all of us. It is a national memorial to our independence and our salvation. Last night was not like a televised football match or a St Patrick’s Day celebration. It was an act of domination and therefore division. It shouldn’t happen again.”

Sir Keir Starmer raised Timothy’s comments at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday and said that he should be sacked from the Conservative frontbench.

Badenoch launched several questions at the prime minister over what he knew about Lord Mandelson’s relationship with paedophile sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein appointing him as Britain’s ambassador to the US.

Starmer had initially retorted by attacking the opposition’s stance on Iran, then moved to attack Timothy.

The prime minister said: “She asked me about the process of judgment on appointments. She appointed the shadow justice secretary. He said last night that Muslims praying in public, including the mayor of London, practising his faith, are not welcome. He described it as an act of domination, straight from the Islamist playbook. If we're in my team, he'd be gone. It's utterly appalling. She should denounce his comments, and she should sack him.”

Badenoch rejected his suggestion and hit back: “His justice secretary [David Lammy] is abolishing jury trials, my shadow justice secretary is defending British values. I know who I would rather have sitting on the front bench next to me.”

Later in their exchanges, the prime minister brought up comments from far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who claimed that if the remarks had been made two years ago, Timothy would have been expelled from the Tories.

“Now, Tommy Robinson isn't some sort of moral signpost. He was pointing out how much their party has changed. They're more inclined to his views, and he's right about that,” the prime minister added, and later accused the Conservative Party of having a “problem with Muslims”, something Badenoch’s spokesperson denied after PMQs.

He told reporters: “The Conservatives had the first Muslim chancellor, we had the first Muslim home secretary” and further said that Badenoch “stood by Nick Timothy” amid the calls for his resignation.

After PMQs Anna Turley, the Labour Party’s chair, added her calls for Timothy’s resignation.

She said in the letter: “It is utterly appalling to say that Muslims praying in public are not welcome. Religious events in Trafalgar Square, including Hindus celebrating Diwali, Jews celebrating Chanukah, Christians performing the Passion of Christ, or Muslims praying, show the great strength of our diverse city and country. The Conservatives have not complained about anything other than Muslim events: it seems your party has a problem with Muslims.”

In veiled criticism of Timothy on Tuesday night, Khan posted images of Easter, Diwali, Vaisakhi and Chanukah events in Trafalgar Square, adding: “London is, and will always be, a place for everyone.”

Before PMQs, Timothy, a former adviser to Theresa May who also played a key role in scrutinising West Midlands Police over their decision to ban fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv, defended his comments from criticism by a former Conservative cabinet member Dominic Grieve.

Timothy said in a post on X: “The point is not that Sikhs have danced on Trafalgar Square. Or that the Passion Play has been hosted there. Neither is the point that Muslims gathered on Trafalgar Square. The point is that mass ritual prayer in public – in this case next to a church – is an act of domination. So is the public call of the Adhan, which explicitly denies other religions including Christianity. That is the difference.”

He also accused his critics of refusing to “engage with the substance” of the point he made.