Laila Cunningham, Reform UK’s newly announced candidate for London mayor, has ignited significant controversy with allegations against Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and endorsements of contentious statements by former US President Donald Trump.
In an interview with YouTuber Andrew Gold, Cunningham accused Mahmood of refusing to impose visa restrictions on Pakistan as punishment for not accepting Pakistani grooming gang offenders from Britain. She suggested this decision was politically motivated to protect a “Pakistani voter base” rather than based on national interest. When questioned about potential electoral considerations behind Mahmood’s position, Cunningham stated, “That is the assumption, or else you’d crack down on it.”
The former Conservative councillor, who recently defected to Reform UK, further claimed the Home Secretary prioritizes her religious beliefs over her nationality in decision-making. This criticism references Mahmood’s previous statements about her Muslim faith being “the absolute driver of everything that I do,” though she has never explicitly stated religion takes precedence over national duty.
In additional controversial remarks published in the Daily Mail, Cunningham endorsed Donald Trump’s widely criticized assertion that London under Mayor Sadiq Khan was moving toward implementing Sharia law. She argued that Britain has permitted “a shadow system to exist alongside our own courts,” specifically referencing Sharia councils operating throughout the country.
Cunningham, who identifies as Egyptian-British, has faced significant online abuse from far-right accounts since her appointment. She has distanced herself from specific Muslim communities, stating, “I’m not part of a Muslim community, I’m part of a British community,” while simultaneously criticizing certain groups for “bringing shame on the rest of the Muslims.”
The political context includes Reform leader Nigel Farage’s pledge to ban the Muslim Brotherhood, which Cunningham supports by referencing Egypt’s prohibition of the organization. Recent revelations indicate Farage traveled to Abu Dhabi funded by the United Arab Emirates, which shares Reform’s opposition to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Neither Mahmood’s office nor the Labour Party has responded to requests for comment regarding Cunningham’s allegations. The next London mayoral election is scheduled for 2028.