Councillor criticised over Muslim prayers comments

A senior Reform UK councillor has been criticised for saying he was worried about “seeing children in primary schools being taught to pray the Muslim way”.

Carl Abbott made the remarks during an internal Prevent counter-terrorism briefing held by Leicestershire County Council, attended by politicians and police, on Monday.

In a recording of the meeting, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Abbott said he feared it could lead to the radicalisation of children.

Labour county councillor Jewel Miah, who was also in the briefing, said Abbott’s remarks were prejudiced and has called for him to resign. The BBC has contacted Abbott for comment.

During the meeting, Abbott, the authority’s cabinet member for adult social care, said he was “worried” about “seeing children in primary schools being taught to pray the Muslim way”.

He added: “When I went to school, we went into assembly, we sang hymns and were taught the Christian way.

“It bothers me if the government is allowing this to be taught in school; does it not start the radicalisation of these children?

“Will we see a further increase in crimes, etc, as these children grow up?”

He said he “personally did not agree with it” and that he was “expressing the concerns of his constituents”.

Miah said: “I’m 51 years old and remember praying in high school, and here I am.

“A lot of my friends did as well. And I don’t think there’s anything that’s ever happened.

“I think yes, if people are going to go bad, they go bad, but you can’t tar a whole religion based on your prejudices.”

Abbott, who represents the Stoney Stanton and Croft division, said he was “not being prejudiced” or “tarring anyone” and was stating a concern “from his residents”.

Miah, who is Muslim, told the BBC he believed Abbott should resign from his cabinet role.

“His position is untenable,” he said.

“What he is saying isn’t right and is not the type of thing we should be talking about.

“What we should be talking about is how we should be making the lives of our constituents better.”

Miah added: “I just don’t think it’s acceptable.

“These issues he talks about are simply not true.

“There is no evidence, and we should be talking about the biggest thing that affects them. That’s the cost of living and how we can improve that.”

Conservative county council opposition leader Deborah Taylor said: “It is inappropriate to suggest that teaching children to pray in accordance with Muslim practice fosters extremism.

“Muslims are an integral and respected part of our communities.

“To assert that Muslim prayer is linked to extremism is divisive, deeply concerning, and entirely incompatible with the standards expected of public office.

“And we are hearing it from a very senior councillor now.”

Naomi Bottomley, Green Party county councillor, told the BBC: “Linking Muslim prayer or the teaching of Islam to crime or extremism is deeply Islamophobic and dangerous.

“It is frankly absurd to suggest that children learning about different religions is something to fear.

“Education builds understanding, not extremism.

“Coming from a councillor responsible for adult social care, these remarks raise serious concerns about whether Muslim residents can expect fair and respectful treatment.”

A Reform UK spokesperson told the BBC: “Councillor Abbott is absolutely correct. Britain is and remains a Christian country.

“He speaks on behalf of millions who are rightly alarmed by the rapid, unchecked transformation of our culture and values driven by successive Tory and Labour governments’ obsessions with mass immigration.”

A spokesperson for the council said the authority would not be commenting on the issue.