Ukip proposes a burka ban ahead of the general election

Ukip will include a pledge to ban full-face veils worn by some Muslim women in its general election manifesto.

Party leader Paul Nuttall announced the plan on the BBC's The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday (23 April), adding that he believes burkas – the full-body covering worn by some Muslim women – and niqabs – headscarves and veils that leave the eyes revealed – are a security concerns and they prevent integration.

The measure will be part of Ukip's new "integration agenda" but critics have argued that the party is pursuing an inflammatory agenda, as the party no longer have a purpose following Brexit.

Announcing the plan, Nuttall said: "[I would introduce a burka ban] for two reasons.

"Firstly, obviously, we have a heightened security risk at the moment. For CCTV to be effective, you need to be able to see people's faces.

"Because whether we like it or not, in this country, there's more CCTV per head than anywhere else in the planet. We're the most watched people and for that to be effective, you need to see people's faces.

"Secondly, there's the issue of integration. I don't believe that you can integrate fully or enjoy the fruits of British society if you can't see people's faces."

Nuttall said he would introduce a fine if the burka is worn in public, following the example followed by France, Belgium and Bulgaria.

A similar measure was proposed by former Ukip leader Nigel Farage at the 2010 elections, but dropped the policy from the 2015 manifesto.

Justifying the re-introduction of the proposal, Nuttall argued that the security risks and levels of integration have got worse since 2015, despite little-to-no evidence that suggests a burka ban would improve these issues.

Nuttall also failed to account for previous comments he had made where he described Ukip as a "libertarian party" which would not interfere with what people wear or what they eat, when questioned by Marr.

He also said that Ukip would stop sharia courts because he does not believe there should be "parallel legal systems" operating in the UK.

When pressed by Marr, however, Nuttall said he would not be proposing any crackdowns on Jewish Beth Din courts in the UK because the Jewish population is declining.

Nuttall also did not confirm if he would seek to become an MP at the upcoming general election, following his failed attempt at the Stoke byelection.