Overview
- Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he would ban all mass religious observances and labelled the Open Iftar in Trafalgar Square an attempt to intimidate and dominate.
- Attorney General Richard Hermer challenged Badenoch to clarify whether the objection extends to Jewish public prayer, sharpening questions over equal treatment.
- Nick Timothy wrote that “mass ritual prayer in public places is an act of domination” and argued such events should not happen again.
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the comments, urged Badenoch to sack Timothy, and said the Conservatives have a problem with Muslims.
- Badenoch and senior Conservatives defended Timothy, citing concerns about inclusivity and footage of gender separation, as Sadiq Khan and others noted Trafalgar Square routinely hosts Diwali, Hanukkah and Easter events.