General Election 2017: Ukip to announce burka ban in party manifesto

Ukip will promise to ban Muslim women from wearing burkas in public as part of its election manifesto.

Party leader Paul Nuttall is expected to announce the policy on Monday as part of the Ukip’s “integration agenda”.

The manifesto will also propose an explicit ban on Sharia law in the UK, with Mr Nuttall expected to say wearing the burka in public is a barrier to social harmony.

The policy marks a change of direction for Ukip, which was planning a “rebrand” ahead of June’s general election.

Speaking on BBC's Andrew Marr show this morning, Mr Nuttall said: "For CCTV to be effective you need to see people’s faces.

He went on: “Secondly there is the issue of integration. I don’t believe that you can integrate fully and enjoy the fruits of British society if you can’t see people’s faces.

"What we need to do is we need to insure that these people a fully integrated into British society and you can’t do that if you are hidden behind a veil.

“We can either be on the curve with this or behind the curve. I’d rather be on.”

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage proposed banning the burka in 2010, but later dropped the policy.

The burka, a traditional Muslim attire that covers the entire body, is outlawed in France, Belgium and Bulgaria.

According to the Sun, Mr Nuttall will say on Monday: “Just as we have been vindicated on the need to recognise the downsides of uncontrolled immigration and the hollowing out of our democracy brought about by EU membership, so we shall be vindicated on the need to be more robust in tackling extremism and defending British values.”

The measures have reportedly been drawn up by the party’s deputy leader Peter Whittle.

Mr Farage has ruled out standing in the upcoming election, with Ukip’s only former MP Douglas Carswell quitting politics.

Having already quit the party, the Clacton MP said he believes he will be Ukip’s “first and last MP”.