Keir Starmer has urged Kemi Badenoch to dismiss her shadow justice secretary for making highly offensive remarks about Muslims observing prayers.
Conservative MP Nick Timothy came under fire for sharing a video showing individuals, including London Mayor Sadiq Khan, praying in Trafalgar Square, London. He asserted that public mass prayer was a form of asserting dominance.
The online community strongly criticized Timothy’s post. During a heated exchange at Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer condemned Timothy’s actions as spreading negativity and division and stated he would have fired him if he were on his team.
Starmer directed his criticism at Badenoch, saying, “She appointed the shadow justice secretary who recently expressed unwelcoming sentiments towards Muslims praying publicly, including the mayor of London, who was practicing his faith.”
Furthermore, Starmer emphasized the need for Badenoch to denounce the comments and remove him from his position due to the inappropriateness of his statements.
Following the defense of Timothy by the Tory leader as upholding British values, Starmer questioned Badenoch’s stance on the issue, highlighting the irony in the shadow justice secretary’s remarks about Muslims praying together in public spaces.
Commenting on the situation, Starmer pointed out the shift in the Conservative Party’s approach, noting that even controversial figures like Tommy Robinson acknowledged the party’s changing dynamics towards certain views.
Starmer concluded by suggesting that the Conservative Party may have underlying issues regarding their stance on Muslims.
Timothy later reiterated his stance on the matter, defending his initial post about public mass prayers being a display of dominance. He also criticized those who misunderstood his comments, attributing it to a deliberate misinterpretation.
He accused No10 of instructing Labour MPs to criticize his statements, emphasizing a lack of understanding behind the accusations of Islamophobia.