Birmingham's new Reform councillors have sparked anger by calling for an 'English only' rule at Birmingham City Council after an Islamic prayer from the Qur'an was recited during the annual mayor-making ceremony.
Reform's Letter to the Lord Mayor
Members of the party's group of 23 councillors wrote to newly-appointed Lord Mayor Zaker Choudhry, a Muslim, objecting to the decision to invite an imam to share a brief 30-second verse in Arabic as part of the installation ceremony. The reading's meaning was repeated in English to those present.
In the letter, seen by BirminghamLive, Reform stated that Birmingham is a 'diverse city made up of many different faiths and backgrounds' but argued that 'official council meetings should remain inclusive and accessible to all residents regardless of religion or culture' and that all readings and proceedings should be in English. They described it as 'inappropriate' for any readings to be in a language 'many residents do not understand'. The move was condemned as 'nonsense' and 'deliberately divisive'.
Reform Leader's Statement
The Reform group, led by Kingstanding councillor Jex Parkin, said they 'respect the personal faith and beliefs of the Lord Mayor and all communities across Birmingham.' Parkin said: 'It's clear only the English language should be used in public meetings in this country. We will always advocate for this, on behalf of the residents that elected us to promote and protect the language, culture and values of the United Kingdom. We look forward to supporting the Lord Mayor in his new role, and trust this feedback will be accepted with the good faith in which it is offered. Clearly, many residents share our view.'
Backlash from Labour and Others
The comments—the first formal contribution from Reform since it emerged as the biggest single group in the council chamber following the May 7 local election—triggered an immediate backlash. Coun Majid Mahmood, Labour, Hodge Hill and Bromford, said it was 'nonsense' and an attempt to politicise a positive moment. He noted that the short Islamic reading was translated into English and delivered in a spirit of unity and reflection. 'Birmingham's diversity is our strength, not something to be feared or politicised,' he said.
In a letter of support to the Lord Mayor, Mahmood added: 'Our diversity is not something to be tolerated, it is one of Birmingham's greatest strengths. To suggest only English should be heard in civic spaces risks sending a deeply unfortunate message to many communities who have contributed enormously to the social, cultural and economic fabric of our city for generations. Our council has long welcomed prayers and reflections from different traditions and denominations. Extending that same courtesy to minority faith is not divisive or exclusionary, it is representative of the modern Birmingham we proudly serve.'
Imam's Message of Unity
Imam Mohammed Abdali was invited to say a brief prayer and quoted from Chapter 5, Verse 2 of the Qur'an. He then explained in English how it was a verse reminding everyone to 'live together in harmony and cooperation, in a spirit of goodness and righteousness'. The verse also reminds people 'not to collaborate in wrong or transgression'. It encourages love for each other 'regardless of what background we are from, regardless of what religion we belong to, regardless of what race we belong to, we should stand together and help each other...and that's the message of Islam,' he said. The imam said it was about 'standing up against all forms of extremism and terrorism.' The verse was cited in the hope members would 'work together for the good of the city of Birmingham and the wider community.'
Far-Right Reaction
Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, posting on X in his extremist persona of Tommy Robinson, shared a short clip of the prayer reading—without the English explanation that followed—and told his followers: 'These were the scenes in England's second largest city, Birmingham, this week at the new Lord Mayor's inauguration.' He highlighted the heritage and faith of the new Lord Mayor in derisory terms.
Coalition Talks
Talks regarding a potential coalition to run the council are under way. Both Reform UK and the outgoing Labour administration have publicly stated they do not intend to go into coalition with any other groups. The Green Party, Liberal Democrats, and at least one of the groups of new Independents are engaged in 'positive' talks about a way forward.
