[70430] Storm in the UK: New Lord Mayor of Birmingham sparked criticism during his inauguration ceremony

Storm in the UK: Birmingham Lord Mayor's inauguration sparks a stir

On May 22, 2026, Zakir Choudhry took office as the 116th Lord Mayor of Birmingham, the second-largest city in the UK. The inauguration ceremony was the focus of numerous reports on social media, which noted that the event began with a blessing by a Muslim Imam and the reading of a verse from the Quran, and that Choudhry himself struggled to read the oath of allegiance in English. According to BASQA NEWS reports, while the position is primarily ceremonial, the event reflects significant demographic changes in the UK over the last few decades.

Russian news sources and groups identified with critical stances toward immigration, such as ZERGULIO, used the event to criticize demographic policy in the UK. Zergulio claimed that this is a "policy of immigrant replacement" and pointed out that figures of Pakistani descent currently hold key positions in the kingdom, including London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

Всевидящее ОКО 18, VOBLA • новости, and Anton S Live emphasized that Choudhry read the speech from a page and "could barely string words together," which was presented by them as evidence of difficulty in mastering the local language. At the same time, channels such as Zone AP and Карельский бальзам presented a narrative according to which the political system in the UK is undergoing a profound change under the influence of the "New World Order."

Conversely, BASQA NEWS offered a more moderate interpretation, noting that the presence of representatives of the Muslim community at official ceremonies is evidence of a "new reality in the public life of modern Britain." Choudhry is expected to serve as Lord Mayor until 2027.