Conservative shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy has been broadly condemned by fellow parliamentarians for criticising Muslims praying in Trafalgar Square at an “Open Iftar” occasion and accusing them of an “act of domination”.
The occasion over the weekend in London’s iconic landmark reportedly attracted individuals of many various faiths and was attended by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who hailed it because the “biggest iftar in the western world”.
Khan mentioned in an handle to the gang that he had met Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs and atheists attending the occasion. But not everybody permitted.
For Tory MP Timothy, who was the Downing Street chief of workers throughout Theresa May’s premiership, the occasion was deeply worrying.
Timothy took to X on Monday and posted a video of Muslims – together with Khan – praying in congregation on the occasion.
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“Too many are polite to say this,” Timothy mentioned, earlier than declaring that “mass ritual prayer in public places is an act of domination”.
“The adhan – which declares there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger – is, when called in a public place, a declaration of domination,” he argued.
That shouldn’t be extremism, that isn’t domination, and that’s the very expression of the plural democratic society we declare to defend.”
Timothy clarified that “I am not suggesting everybody at Trafalgar Square last night is an Islamist.”
However, he added, “the domination of public places is straight from the Islamist playbook.”
He known as the occasion “an act of domination and therefore division” and asserted that it “shouldn’t happen again”.
Independent MP Adnan Hussain responded by posting images of Hindu, Jewish and Sikh spiritual occasions which have been held in Trafalgar Square.
Nick, that is disgraceful. Do you object when Sikhs, Hindus or Jews collect in Trafalgar Square? Or is it solely Muslims you smear with speak of “domination”? They have been invited, like all faiths. Your rhetoric is inflammatory, divisive, and beneath any critical public workplace. https://t.co/LiWscr2hMl pic.twitter.com/utf6WQ4RTZ
— Adnan Hussain MP (@AdnanHussainMP) March 17, 2026
Hussain raised a degree of order in parliament on Monday and mentioned that “public spaces in this country, including Trafalgar Square, have long been places where people of all faiths and none come together”.
Hussain added: “That is not extremism, that is not domination, and that is the very expression of the plural democratic society we claim to defend.”
‘A really odd publish’
Dominic Grieve, a former Tory MP and legal professional common, remarked: “This is a very odd post from a Conservative who says he believes in freedom of expression under law.”
Grieve famous that “the use of Trafalgar Square (with permission) for spiritual occasions – Christian and different – goes again a good distance.
“There have been prayers and hymns, chants and religious events performed there in the past.”
Grieve added: “If such an occasion ‘should not occur once more’ it raises the query of whether or not that is to use to all spiritual occasions or simply to Muslim ones.
“If to all, then we’re transferring like France to imposing secularism as a norm and it’s opposite to our nationwide custom and doesn’t appear to have helped develop social cohesion there.
“If just to Muslims then it is an act of discrimination against them without any lawful basis.”
Senior politicians weighed in too. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy accused Timothy of “fanning the flames of division”.
The deputy chief of the Labour Party, Lucy Powell, commented: “What an excessive response from a member of the Shadow Cabinet.
“Across the nation at present Muslims, Christians, these of religion & of none, have labored, realized, shared & damaged quick collectively.
“That is real Britain, not the desperate hatred being whipped up here by a leading Tory.”
Reform MPs wade in
But Reform UK MPs entered the fray to again Timothy. “This is unacceptable, imposing such a dominating presence in a public place,” complained Reform’s deputy chief Richard Tice.
“Surely worship should be in churches or other places such as mosques or synagogues,” he mentioned.
“Also where is the gender inclusivity?” he questioned.
In the video that Timothy posted, ladies could be seen praying individually to the lads, as is customized amongst Muslims.
Tice has no report of commenting on gender separated spiritual rituals in Orthodox Judaism, Sikhism and different traditions.
Many ladies have been seen in different images of the occasion, which was not segregated.
But Reform MP Sarah Pochin went additional than her colleagues, travelling to Trafalgar Square to movie a video of herself condemning what she known as a “domineering show of religious authority” that “should not be tolerated”.
.@SadiqKhan participating in a mass public act of Islamic prayer in the center of the British capital is deeply divisive.
This domineering present of spiritual authority shouldn’t be tolerated. pic.twitter.com/xWiVaiC8Eb
— Sarah Pochin MP (@SarahForRuncorn) March 17, 2026
At the iftar occasion, Khan had told the assembled crowd: “We see the forces of division and darkness pitting communities towards one another, making an attempt to cower us and scare us to be much less Muslim, to be much less Islamic, to make us scared to place our head above the parapet.
“We’ve shown during this month of Ramadan the power of being a Muslim. The joy of being British.”
The occasion was organised by Ramadan Tent Project, a charity which says it “brings communities together and spreads the spirit of Ramadan”.
The challenge organises iftars at landmarks and cultural establishments across the nation.
Ramadan Tent Project says its occasions are open to the “vulnerable, the homeless, those in need of a community, and anyone else who wished to share food and faith”.
