Badenoch Blasts Starmer For ‘Sucking Up To Muslims In Prayer Row

Badenoch Blasts Starmer For ‘Sucking Up To Muslims In Prayer Row

A bitter political row has erupted after Kemi Badenoch accused Keir Starmer of “sucking up” to Muslim voters — as tensions over mass public prayers spill into a full-blown culture clash.

The Tory leader launched her attack after Labour demanded she sack a senior frontbencher who branded a large-scale Islamic prayer event in central London an “act of domination”.

Culture Clash Explodes In Westminster

The furious exchange centres on a mass Ramadan prayer gathering in Trafalgar Square, hosted by London mayor Sadiq Khan.

Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy sparked outrage after declaring that “mass ritual prayer in public places is an act of domination” and should not take place in shared national spaces.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer blasted the remarks as “utterly appalling” and demanded Badenoch sack him.

She refused — and went on the offensive.

‘Mother Of All Hypocrisy’

Badenoch accused the Prime Minister of political opportunism, claiming he was tailoring his stance to shore up support after Labour’s bruising by-election defeat.

“This is the mother of all hypocrisy,” she said.

She pointed to Starmer’s past decision to pull out of an event linked to the same organisers, arguing he had previously “sucked up” to other groups — and was now shifting position for electoral gain.

‘This Is About British Values’

Doubling down, Badenoch insisted the row was not about religion — but about how it is expressed in public.

“This is a country that has always tolerated minority faiths,” she said.

“But we need to ensure religious expression fits within our values, our norms, and our beliefs.”

She also raised concerns about the nature of the event itself, saying she felt “uncomfortable” with scenes of women being positioned behind men during the gathering.

Labour Fires Back: ‘Shameful And Dangerous’

Labour hit back furiously, accusing the Conservatives of sliding into divisive rhetoric.

Party figures claimed Badenoch was showing “cowardice” by refusing to condemn the comments — and warned the Tories were drifting toward rhetoric associated with far-right figures.

They insisted Britain’s diversity should be celebrated, not weaponised.

Row Signals Deepening Political Divide

The escalating war of words underscores a growing fault line in British politics — where issues of religion, identity and public space are becoming increasingly explosive.

With elections looming and parties scrambling for votes, the debate is only likely to intensify.

And as this row shows, the fight over Britain’s cultural identity is now firmly front and centre.

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