Sadiq Khan breaks silence on ‘disgraceful’ Tory attack, warning Jews and Hindus may be next
The London Mayor accused Tory MP Nick Timothy of a 'megaphone dog whistle' after he hit out at praying Muslims in London
Jews and Hindus may become a target of Tory intolerance, Sir Sadiq Khan said, amid calls for a senior Conservative MP to be sacked for saying public Muslim prayer is an “act of domination and division”.
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The London mayor said comments by shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy were a “disgrace” to the Conservative Party, and a “megaphone dog whistle”.
Sir Sadiq has now warned Jews and Hindus could be targeted next by the Tories after Kemi Badenoch stood by the frontbencher.
Pressure is mounting on the Tory leader to sack Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy after he said the Open Iftar event in Trafalgar Square was "not welcome", referring to it as an “act of domination and division”.
Sir Keir Starmer used Prime Minister’s Questions to call for Mr Timothy to be sacked, claiming the comments showed the Tories had a “problem with Muslims”, and pressed Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch to “denounce” them.
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In an interview with La Repubblica, Sir Sadiq said: “It’s Muslims today, who will it be tomorrow? Jewish people? Who the day after? Hindu people? This sort of mono-ethnic, mono-nationalistic view the Conservatives have is a carbon copy of President Trump.
“These guys are pound-shop President Trumps, they should be ashamed of themselves."
He questioned what was objectionable to the Conservatives about seeing Muslims celebrating their religion, saying they were the sort of comments “I’d expect from the far right” in the past.
“I’m heartbroken, I’m sad, I’m angry, and I can understand why many British Muslims are scared by somebody, who is so senior, who wants to be the Lord Chancellor, saying what he said.
“But worryingly, his leader, somebody who wants to be the prime minister, Kemi Badenoch, thinking it is British values to single out Muslims. It is British values to respect each other.
“Yes, we’re a Christian country, but Christianity teaches us to love thy neighbour.”
He added: “This sort of megaphone, not dog whistle, megaphone policy is a disservice and disgrace to the Conservative Party, a once great party.”
In a post on X, Mr Timothy said: “Mass ritual prayer in public places is an act of domination.”
He continued: “Perform these rituals in mosques if you wish. But they are not welcome in our public places and shared institutions.”
Approximately 3,000 people were expected to attend the event held by Ramadan Tent Project.
Similar religious gatherings have long taken place in the capital, such as the Jewish celebration of Chanukah and Easter Sunday processions.
Sir Keir said the comments meant the Conservative Party had become aligned with Tommy Robinson after Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, had posted supportively of Mr Timothy’s comments.
At PMQs, he said: “She appointed the shadow justice secretary. He said last night that Muslims praying in public, including the mayor of London, practising his faith, are not welcome.
“He described it as an act of domination. Straight from the Islamist playbook. If he was in my team, he’d be gone. It’s utterly appalling. She should denounce his comments and she should sack him.”
Mrs Badenoch said Mr Timothy was “defending British values” rather than “abolishing jury trials”, drawing comparisons with Justice Secretary David Lammy.
“I know who I would rather have sitting on the front bench next to me, and it’s not him,” Mrs Badenoch said.
Sir Keir came back at Mrs Badenoch and said: “Her position is that the shadow justice secretary is defending British values when he says Muslims praying together in Trafalgar Square are not welcome.
“Even Tommy Robinson, I can hardly believe I’m saying this, has said today that if the shadow justice secretary had made these hateful comments two years ago the Conservative Party would have kicked him out.
“Tommy Robinson isn’t some sort of moral signpost, he was pointing out how much their party has changed. They’re more inclined to his views, and he’s right about that. The fact he’s sitting on her front bench shows she’s too weak and has got absolutely no judgment.”
In the Commons, Sir Keir went on to say: “When I see religious events in Trafalgar Square, when I see Hindus celebrating Diwali, when I see Jews celebrating Chanukah live, when I see Christians performing the Passion of the Christ, or Muslims praying, that shows the great strength of our diverse city and country.
“I’ve never heard her party call out anything other than the Muslim events. It’s only when Muslims are praying. The only conclusion is the Tory Party has got a problem with Muslims.”
He continued: “The failure to condemn and sack the shadow justice secretary for the poison and division that he spreads, it’s turning out to be quite a month for the leader of the Opposition who claims she never makes any mistakes.”
A spokesman for Mrs Badenoch said Mr Timothy’s comments were based on footage showing segregated males praying at the event.
He said: “The Conservative Party believes in British values and those British values mean we are an open and tolerant society, but with boundaries.
“And freedom of religion does not mean the freedom to do anything. It comes with responsibilities.
“People are free to practise their faith but that practice does not require exclusionary use of our shared civic spaces. That is not about worship. It becomes something else which undermines social cohesion. So that is where we draw the line. And that is what Nick Timothy was talking about.”
Asked about other pictures showing women at the event, the spokesman said they were “outside the barriers”.