Prime Minister Keir Starmer has accused the Conservative Party of having “a problem with Muslims” after shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy described public Muslim prayers as “an act of domination”. During Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Starmer urged Kemi Badenoch to sack Timothy over his comments about a video of London Mayor Sadiq Khan joining others to pray in Trafalgar Square.
Timothy posted on X that “mass ritual prayer in public places is an act of domination” and claimed it was “straight from the Islamist playbook”. He later added that the adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, is “a declaration of domination” when called in public, and said such rituals “are not welcome in our public places and shared institutions”.
Starmer told parliament: “If he were in my team he would be gone. She should denounce his comments and she should sack him.” He added that the Conservative Party only calls out Muslim events, concluding: “The only conclusion is that the Tory party has got a problem with Muslims.”
Badenoch defended Timothy, saying he was “defending British values”, but the remarks have reignited controversy over alleged Islamophobia in the party. Former Tory co-chair Sayeeda Warsi said British Muslims feel unwelcome and described the approach as “electoral suicide”.
Imam Qari Assam, who advised Theresa May’s government on Islamophobia, said Timothy’s interpretation of the adhan was wrong: “It is a simple call to worship – an invitation.” He warned that such comments risk “singling out Muslims for practising what others are freely encouraged to do”.
