Reform UK has sparked confusion about whether it would ban the burqa. Sarah Pochin, who won the Runcorn by-election last month, used her first appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions to ask: “Given the Prime Minister’s desire to strengthen strategic alignment with our European neighbours, will he, in the interests of public safety, follow the lead of France, Denmark, Belgium and others and ban the burqa?”
Her question sparked outrage from some MPs in the Commons but support from others online. Lee Anderson, the party’s chief whip, later posted on social media site X: “Ban the burqa? Yes we should.
“No one should be allowed to hide their identity in public.”
However, despite two of its MPs publicly supporting a ban, a Reform UK spokesman it was “not party policy but we need a national debate, which is what the House of Commons is for”.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also reposted Ms Pochin’s clip of her question, suggesting he is sympathetic to the policy.
Polls of voters consistently show the vast majority would support banning the burqa in Britain.
In 2018, a Sky News poll found that 59% of voters want the Islamic head covering banned, compared to 26% opposed.
Britain is less supportive of a ban than Germany, where in 2016 69% of voters said they would support it, but more supportive than the US, where 60% said they would oppose any such ban.
Rupert Lowe, who was a Reform MP until he had the whip withdrawn following a row with Mr Farage and now sits as an independent, posted: “Banning the awful burqa is incredibly ‘not party policy’ for Reform, and the promised illegal migrant mass deportation policy has still yet to arrive.
“Must be something in the Westminster water … I drink bottled!”
He also quipped: “I was very sorry to read about Sarah’s suspension from Reform tomorrow!”, suggesting Mr Farage might have been annoyed by her raising the issue.
The Prime Minister appeared visibly taken aback before taking a swipe at Mr Farage’s recent policy announcements, including restoring winter fuel payments and scrapping the two-child benefit cap.
Sir Keir replied: “Can I welcome her to her place, but I’m not going to follow her down that line.
“But now she is here and safely in her place, perhaps she could tell her new party leader that his latest plan to bet £80billion of unfunded tax cuts, with no idea how he’s going to pay for it, is Liz Truss all over again.
“Although considering I think she was a Conservative member when Liz Truss was leader, she probably won’t.”