Reform UK would ban full-face coverings in public

Reform UK has said it would ban face coverings in public places, including burkas and balaclavas, if it won power at the next election.

Writing in the Telegraph, , external party leader Nigel Farage said facial coverings were "not the British way" and undermined the trust needed for a "free and open society".

His comments come after protests over the weekend, described as spontaneous by police, when masked men chanting "stop the boats" blocked roads in Dover.

On Monday, Home Office minister Sarah Jones said police had powers over coverings at protests but added: "When people are going about their daily business, it is absolutely fine to wear them for religious reasons, and that will continue."

In his article, Farage said he was "all for the protest" in Dover but added: "This is not the way to go about it."

Arguing for a wider ban, he wrote: "Around city centres, balaclava-clad youths tear around neighbourhoods on e-bikes and scooters, terrorising residents, making them feel unsafe in their own communities.

"We've some­how accep­ted that see­ing masked people in the streets is just part of mod­ern Bri­tain. It shouldn't be.

"Which is why Reform UK is calling for a ban on all full-face coverings in public spaces. No ifs, no buts. And yes, that includes religious ones too.