Ukip leadership contest: Lisa Duffy calls for ban on Muslim women wearing veils in public

Controversial: Ukip leadership candidate Lisa Duffy has called for a ban on Muslim wearing veils in public
Jonathan Brady/PA
Tom Powell8 August 2016
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A leading candidate in the Ukip leadership contest wants to ban Muslim women from wearing veils in public.

Lisa Duffy, who is second favourite behind Diane James to succeed Nigel Farage, has called for veils to be prohibited in public buildings such as shopping centres and on public transport.

In a speech in central London last night, she also demanded the closure of Islamic faith schools until Islamist terrorism is no longer a problem.

However, Ms Duffy – who is backed by high-profile former UKIP spokeswoman Suzanne Evans – rejected comparisons to US presidential candidate Donald Trump, insisting she wants to create a “well-rounded community”.

"Muslims who were born in this country are as British as I am," she said in comments reported by Business Insider. "I simply want them to feel as British as I do.

“I think that on our public transport networks, in public buildings, banks, stores and shopping precincts – all those places where teenagers are told to take their hoodies down and where motorcyclists are expected to remove their helmets – it is only reasonable to expect everyone to show their faces."

When questioned by reporters about the similarities between her speech and the right-wing rhetoric of Republican presidential candidate Trump, she claimed it was “not about singling out”.

“I don’t think I compare to Donald Trump at all, I’m very different to him,” she said.

“This is about working to make sure that we have a well-rounded community, a community that has an opportunity for all.”

Her rival in the leadership contest, MEP Bill Etheridge, spoke before Ms Duffy and took aim at her in his speech, saying: “I don’t want to focus on small issues like Islam which make us look small-minded – I’m not chasing the bigot vote.”

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