A Conservative peer and former counter-extremism minister has accused shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy of 'instilling fear' among Muslims with his comments about public Islamic prayer. Lord Tariq Ahmad said he had raised his concerns with the party leadership and expected action to be taken.
Speaking to the Guardian, Lord Ahmad said: 'I have known Nick for a long time and am deeply disappointed by his divisive comments. He needs to reflect carefully on his own words. If he is aspiring to be lord chancellor, he has to stand up for the principles of equality and justice before the law for all.'
Timothy had singled out an iftar event in Trafalgar Square where Mayor Sadiq Khan and others prayed, claiming such prayers were intimidating and un-British. He defended himself in the Daily Telegraph, arguing the prayers blurred 'the line between freedom of religion and the imposition of religious rituals'.
Lord Ahmad, who served as a minister under Theresa May and David Cameron, said he had recently experienced racial slurs on the street, something he thought was consigned to the past. He compared Timothy's remarks to previous comments by Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman, adding: 'No one should be trying to scapegoat any community in this way.'
The intervention comes as Kemi Badenoch backed Timothy, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also called for a ban on public Muslim prayers, drawing condemnation from Muslim leaders who warned of a 'growing tide of hate'.
