Kemi Badenoch said she was “very uncomfortable with seeing women pushed to the back” of a mass Muslim prayer event in Trafalgar Square and defended the “fantastic” Nick Timothy, as she said religious celebrations must be “inclusive” and “respectful of British culture”.

The Conservative leader spoke out to defend Mr Timothy, her Shadow Justice Secretary, who has faced criticism after condemning an Open Iftar event in Trafalgar Square on Monday, which was attended by London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan. Mr Timothy highlighted images showing Muslims praying as they celebrated the meal that breaks the Ramadan fast. He claimed “mass ritual prayer in public places is an act of domination”, adding “they are not welcome in our public places and shared institutions.”

The intervention sparked fury from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Sir Sadiq, who called for Kemi Badenoch to sack Mr Timothy.

But the Tory justice chief declared: “I will not be silenced. Labour are only demonstrating that they cannot see right from wrong. They will not stand up for our way of life. But we will.”

And Mrs Badenoch 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,” she said at an event to launch the Conservatives’ local election campaign.

She added: “I, as a woman especially, and as a woman from an ethnic minority who grew up in a country where Islam was very visible, am very uncomfortable with seeing women pushed to the back in the middle of Trafalgar Square.”

She said it was “not about stopping anyone from any religion from practising their faith”.

“We want to see religious festivities in Trafalgar Square but they have to be inclusive and also respectful of British culture.”

She said this means sometimes saying “actually, no that’s probably too much”.

Sir Keir Starmer used Prime Minister’s Questions to call for Mr Timothy to be sacked, claiming the comments showed the Tories had a “problem with Muslims”, and pressed Mr Badenoch to “denounce” them.

In an interview with La Repubblica, Sir Sadiq said: “It’s Muslims today, who will it be tomorrow? Jewish people? Who the day after? Hindu people? This sort of mono-ethnic, mono-nationalistic view the Conservatives have is a carbon copy of President Trump.

“These guys are pound-shop President Trumps, they should be ashamed of themselves.

“I’m heartbroken, I’m sad, I’m angry, and I can understand why many British Muslims are scared by somebody, who is so senior, who wants to be the Lord Chancellor, saying what he said.

“But worryingly, his leader, somebody who wants to be the prime minister, Kemi Badenoch, thinking it is British values to single out Muslims. It is British values to respect each other.

“Yes, we’re a Christian country, but Christianity teaches us to love thy neighbour.”

The Labour mayor added: “This sort of megaphone, not dog whistle, megaphone policy is a disservice and disgrace to the Conservative Party, a once great party.”

In the Commons, Sir Keir went on to say: “When I see religious events in Trafalgar Square, when I see Hindus celebrating Diwali, when I see Jews celebrating Chanukah live, when I see Christians performing the Passion of the Christ, or Muslims praying, that shows the great strength of our diverse city and country.

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

At a campaign event on Wednesday evening, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage echoed Mr Timothy’s comments, saying the event in Trafalgar Square was “a group of people, headed up by the ghastly Sadiq Khan, attempting dominance over our capital city and our culture”.

He told an audience in Thurrock, Essex: “We are not going to surrender everything that was built over centuries, defended at a cost of great blood in two world wars, for us to be a free and independent nation. We will not put up with this any more.”