Sadiq Khan calls Tories ‘pound store President Trumps’ in mad ‘Jews and Hindus’ rant
London Mayor calls Conservative shadow justice secretary’s comments about Muslims praying in Trafalgar Square a ‘disgrace’ and questions who will be targeted next
It was a rather odd rant(Image: WWD, WWD via Getty Images)
London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan has labelled the Tories “pound-shop President Trumps” and claimed that Jews and Hindus could become targets of intolerance. Khan issued the warning following demands for a senior Conservative MP to be dismissed for describing public Muslim prayer as an “act of domination and division”.
The London mayor branded remarks by shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy a “disgrace” to the Conservative Party, and a “megaphone dog whistle”. Khan questioned whether the Tories would subsequently target Hindus and Jewish people.
The Conservative MP was referencing an Open Iftar event held in Trafalgar Square on Monday – which Sir Sadiq attended – describing it as not “welcome in our public places”.
Keir Starmer utilised Prime Minister’s Questions to demand Mr Timothy’s dismissal, alleging the comments demonstrated the Tories had a “problem with Muslims”, and urged Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch to “denounce” them.
Speaking to La Repubblica, Sir Sadiq stated: “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 challenged what the Conservatives found objectionable about witnessing Muslims celebrating their faith, describing them as the type of comments “I’d expect from the far right” previously. “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 continued: “This sort of megaphone, not dog whistle, megaphone policy is a disservice and disgrace to the Conservative Party, a once great party.”
In a message on X, Mr Timothy declared: “Mass ritual prayer in public places is an act of domination. Perform these rituals in mosques if you wish. But they are not welcome in our public places and shared institutions.”
Roughly 3,000 people were anticipated to attend the gathering organised by Ramadan Tent Project. Comparable religious events have traditionally occurred in the capital, including the Jewish festival of Hanukkah and Easter Sunday marches.
Sir Keir suggested the remarks indicated the Conservative Party had become allied with Tommy Robinson after Mr Robinson, whose actual name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, had posted in support of Mr Timothy’s statements.
During PMQs, he declared: “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 defended Mr Timothy, stating he was “defending British values” rather than “abolishing jury trials”, drawing parallels 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 declared.
Sir Keir retorted at Mrs Badenoch, stating: “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.”
Mr Timothy’s full post on X had read: “Too many are too polite to say this. But 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. Perform these rituals in mosques if you wish. But they are not welcome in our public places and shared institutions.
“And given their explicit repudiation of Christianity they certainly do not belong in our churches and cathedrals. I am not suggesting everybody at Trafalgar Square last night is an Islamist. But the domination of public places is straight from the Islamist playbook.
“Trafalgar Square belongs to all of us. It is a national memorial to our independence and our salvation. Last night was not like a televised football match or a St Patrick’s Day celebration. It was an act of domination and therefore division. It shouldn’t happen again.”
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