Nick Timothy stands by criticism of Muslim prayer in Trafalgar Square

Shadow justice minister Nick Timothy is standing by claims that a mass Islamic prayer in Trafalgar Square was “a declaration of domination” that ought to never be repeated.

In a post on X, Timothy, a Christian, said the prayer, often known as the adhan, features “explicit repudiation” of Christianity and other faiths and had no place in Trafalgar Square, which is supposed to be a spot of shared national unity.

He further claimed that by proclaiming Islamic “domination”, the event was also divisive.

His comments were condemned by figures from Labour, the SNP and the Tory left amongst others.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Timothy must be sacked from the shadow cabinet: “She [Tory leader Kemi Badenoch] should denounce his comments and he or she should sack him.” Badenoch responded that Timothy was protecting “British values”.

Starmer added in a message posted to X that he was “proud that in Trafalgar Square we rejoice all faiths”, a probable reference to events held by other faiths on the London landmark.

The PM was backed by former SNP First Minister, Humza Yousaf, who accused Timothy of “clear anti-Muslim hatred”.

Yousaf said on X, “Nick Timothy shouldn’t have any place in politics, let alone his party’s front bench.”

Meanwhile, Dominic Grieve, a former Attorney General for the Conservatives, and one in all the important thing drafters of the controversial recent ‘anti-Muslim hostility’ definition, also took issue with Timothy.

“There have been prayers and hymns, chants and spiritual events performed there up to now. If such an event ‘shouldn’t occur again’ it raises the query of whether that is to use to all religious events or simply to Muslim ones … If simply to Muslims then it’s an act of discrimination against them with none lawful basis. To achieve it you would need to enact discriminatory laws targeted at Muslims. Is this what Nick Timothy is advocating?”

Timothy defended his original post, accusing his critics of “wilful misunderstanding”. He said that he was not objecting to the religious festivals of various faiths happening at Trafalgar Square, but to the precise nature of this event.

“The point [is not] that Muslims gathered on Trafalgar Square. The point is that mass ritual prayer in public – on this case next to a church – is an act of domination. So is the general public call of the Adhan, which explicitly denies other religions including Christianity. That is the difference,” he said. 

Timothy was supported, not only by his party leader, but by Reform leader Nigel Farage.

“What we witnessed in London on the historic Trafalgar Square, in a rustic built on Judeo-Christian values, was a gaggle of individuals attempting dominance over our capital city and our culture,” he said.

“We will not be going to give up all the pieces that was built over centuries and defended at great cost in two world wars for us to be a free, independent nation. The British people won’t put up with this any longer — easy as.”

Baroness Foster, former leader of the DUP, also spoke up in support of his comments. 

On X she called the event “an affront to the British public”, claiming that it was “about coercion and control”: “Having been brought up in a sectarian City .. I even have to say this push to impose Islam on everyone else is frankly unacceptable.. I believed we’d finished with all of that .. but this has now develop into untenable .. So what are we going to do about it !!!”