The rector of one of Oxford’s largest Anglican churches last night called plans to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer from the city’s main mosque “un-English”. Charlie Cleverly, of St Aldate’s Church, in a seven-point statement to his congregation, called on the Central Mosque, in Manzil Way, to drop its plans to broadcast the messages.
He said: “I feel it is un-English and very different from a bell. When such an area is subject to such a call to prayer, it may force people to move out and encourage Muslim families to move in…. Bells are just a signal and have been around for 1,500 years. They are a terribly English part of our culture. I do not believe in the imposition of another culture on our country.”