Religious diversity is welcome and mass observances are permitted, says minister

The UK Government will not be banning mass religious observances following calls from Nigel Farage, a minister has said.

The Reform UK leader told his party’s Scottish conference on Thursday he backs such a ban, as he criticised an Iftar in Trafalgar Square earlier this week.

Mr Farage said the event in London was an “attempt to overtake, intimidate and dominate our way of life”.

Speaking to the Press Association on Friday, Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill said the Government is not considering a ban.

“Absolutely not,” she 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.”

Her comments were backed by Scottish First Minister John Swinney, who told PA during the same event at Prestwick Airport in South Ayrshire that he does not agree with a ban.

“I want to live in a country where we’re tolerant of people’s faiths,” he said.

“I want to have tolerance expressed towards my faith, of my religious beliefs. If I want that, other people should have that too.”

Speaking at his party’s conference in Renfrewshire on Thursday, Mr Farage said: “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.”

The Iftar – which organisers said 3,000 people had planned to attend – became a political flashpoint after shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy raised issue with it, describing mass prayer as “an act of domination”.

He was backed by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, despite calls from the Prime Minister for him to be sacked.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General questioned whether Mrs Badenoch and Mr Timothy would object to him praying in public as a Jewish man.

Lord Richard Hermer told the Guardian: “Nick Timothy has said that mass prayer in public places is an act of ‘domination’. But when he and Kemi Badenoch were questioned about his appalling views, they seemed to only have an issue with Muslim events.

“Timothy and Badenoch’s comments beg the question – would they have a problem if I, as a Jewish man, were praying in public? Or is it just Muslim prayer they find offensive, and contrary to ‘British values’?

“The Conservative Party, like Reform and Tommy Robinson, is seeking to divide Britain. Instead, they should be celebrating our brilliantly welcoming and diverse country.”