Nigel Farage has been condemned by Muslim leaders and politicians after calling for a ban on mass public prayer by Muslims in the UK. The Reform UK leader made the remarks during the launch of his party's manifesto for the Scottish parliament elections, describing a recent Eid prayer event in London's Trafalgar Square as a 'wake-up call' and an attempt to 'intimidate and dominate our way of life'.
The event, organised by the Ramadan Tent Project and attended by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, saw hundreds of Muslims and people of other faiths pray together. It has been held in Trafalgar Square five times previously without controversy. Farage told reporters: 'We wouldn't want to stop individuals praying but mass prayer is banned in many Muslim countries in the Middle East itself. So, yes, we have to stop this kind of mass demonstration, provocative demonstration, in historic British sites.'
Former First Minister Humza Yousaf accused Farage of bigotry, noting he had no issue with Christian, Jewish, Sikh or Hindu celebrations in the same location. 'There is a word for that: bigotry,' Yousaf said. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar described Farage's comments as 'toxic, poisonous politics'. Shaista Gohir, a crossbench peer, said the call reflected 'deep-seated hatred toward Muslims', while Akeela Ahmed of the British Muslim Trust warned that British Muslims 'must not become a political football'.
Farage's comments follow similar remarks by Conservative shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy, who claimed Islamic prayers in public were 'intimidating and unBritish'. Kemi Badenoch backed Timothy, questioning whether the events fit 'within the norms of British culture'. Labour accused the Conservatives of embracing 'gutter politics'. Reform UK is fielding candidates in all seats at the May Holyrood elections, with recent polls showing the party's popularity slipping.
