Nigel Farage says all mass religious observances should be banned

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has called for all mass religious observances to be banned following objections to a Ramadan event in London’s Trafalgar Square.

He told party members at the Reform conference in Scotland that the Open Iftar on Monday – which was attended by London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan – was an “attempt to overtake, intimidate and dominate our way of life”.

He warned that type of mass observance was coming to Scotland “soon”, and he Reform would “stand firm for the Judeo-Christian principles upon which our nation was built”.

The event has become a flashpoint in UK politics this week, with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch backing her shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy after he described the Iftar as an “act of domination and division”.

Asked by the Press Association if he favours the banning of all mass religious observances, Farage said: “Yes.”

Further asked 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.”

Badenoch said the Tories want to see 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.”

Timothy made the post on X on Tuesday, saying: “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.”

About 3,000 people were expected to attend the event held by Ramadan Tent Project.

Similar religious gatherings have long taken place in London, such as Jewish celebrations of Chanukah and Christian Easter Sunday processions.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it means the Conservative Party has become aligned with Tommy Robinson after Mr Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, had posted in support of Timothy’s comments.

During Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Starmer called forTimothy to be sacked.

“I’ve never heard her party call out anything other than the Muslim events,” he said. “It’s only when Muslims are praying. The only conclusion is the Tory Party has got a problem with Muslims.”

Reform vows to cut number of MSPs and quangos in manifesto for Holyrood vote

Reform has proposed cutting the number of MSPs and quangos in its manifesto ahead of May’s Holyrood election.

Party members met on Thursday to announce its candidates and launch its policy platform at a country club in Renfrewshire.

Among its policy pledges is a promise to reduce the number of members of the Scottish Parliament by cutting the number of constituencies from 73 to 57.

The 27-page document unveiled at the party’s conference also suggests a Reform government in Scotland would “shut down the quangos and return their powers to democratically-elected ministers supported by the civil service”.

Speaking at an event last week, Scottish party leader Malcolm Offord said a quarter of the country’s quangos could be on the chopping block, suggesting Reform could scrap them all before deciding which are required and bringing them back.

On energy, the party has made a number of pro-fossil fuel pledges, including scrapping all net zero targets set by the Scottish Government and fast-tracking planning for new energy projects, including “open cast coal mining”.

With the country struggling with its prison population, the party promised to increase capacity in jails, while also giving longer sentences to “repeat offenders”.

It is not clear if Reform would pledge to build more prisons, but longer sentences would likely increase the prison population.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Lord Offord said: “Our manifesto presents an unashamedly ambitious vision for a prosperous and flourishing Scotland.

“One that prioritises economic growth and ordinary people above the virtue signalling and total mismanagement that Scots have become accustomed to for the past two decades.

“Be under no illusion: the only way to end the SNP’s 19 years of managed decline and get Scotland growing again is by voting for Reform UK in May’s Holyrood election.”

Opening the conference on Thursday, Reform UK chairman David Bull said the “stakes are incredibly high” at May’s election.

“I believe this is the last chance saloon for Scotland and, actually, for the United Kingdom,” he said.

“I believe passionately that Reform UK is the only choice to turn things around once and for all.

“The latest polling now shows us in Scotland at 20% – that puts us in second place in Scotland and that is utterly extraordinary.”

In polling in recent months, the party has been battling for second place with Labour.