𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Reform UK leader Mr Farage echoed his comments, saying the event – attended by London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan – was an “attempt to overtake, intimidate and dominate our way of life”. Asked at his party’s Scottish conference yesterday if he backs the banning of all mass religious observances, Mr Farage said: “Yes.”

Pressed if that includes Jewish or Catholic observances, he added: “I’ve never seen Jewish services taking place in places of historic Christian worship, or anywhere else.

“We have to get this right. We can’t stop individuals from praying, we wouldn’t want to stop individuals praying, but mass prayer is banned, mass Muslim prayer is banned, in many Muslim countries in the Middle East itself.

“So yes, we have to stop this kind of mass demonstration, provocative demonstration, in historic British sites, because that’s what it is.”

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said she supports religious observances in public places like Trafalgar Square but they must be “inclusive and also respectful of British culture”.

At an event on Thursday, she said: “This is a country that believes in freedom of religion… this debate which Nick is having is not about freedom of religion, it’s about how religion is expressed in a shared public space and whether those expressions fit within the norms of British culture.”

Mrs Badenoch faced calls from Labour and other opposition parties to sack Mr Timothy over his post on X on Tuesday.

The shadow justice secretary 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.”

A minister today said that the Government will not be banning mass religious observances.

Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill said: “We have freedom of worship in this country and we have religious diversity in this country – both of which are welcomed.

“The Prime Minister has been very, very clear about that.

“We are looking forward to celebrations in Trafalgar Square around Easter, as we have enjoyed ones recently around Diwali and Hanukkah last year.”