POLL: Should the UK ban all face coverings including burkas and balaclavas?_D

Nigel Farage is calling for a ban on all public face coverings including burkas and balaclavas – so today we are asking readers: is he right? Mr Farage, the Reform UK leader, said face coverings were a “menace” after a young party member was left bloodied and hospitalised when attacked by a masked man while heading to the party’s annual conference.

Hours later hundreds of activists in balaclavas and other coverings blocked roads at Dover, protesting small-boat crossings. In an op-ed in The Telegraph, Mr Farage said the coverings were used to bully and intimidate, whether by gang members, political extremists or others. He called for a complete ban in public spaces with “no ifs, no buts,” including religious ones, arguing that a free society depends on people showing their faces.

He said: “Facial coverings, quite frankly, are not the British way. Let’s ban them in public once and for all.”

Supporters of a ban point to rising street crime involving masked offenders, the difficulty of identifying suspects on CCTV, and the sense of intimidation felt by many on high streets and in neighbourhoods.

They note that France, Belgium, Denmark, Austria and Switzerland already restrict full-face coverings and ask why Britain should lag behind.

Opponents argue any ban would infringe religious freedom and civil liberties.

They say targeting the burka risks stigmatising Muslim women and that focusing on clothing distracts from deeper issues of crime and integration.

Some also warn that blanket rules could catch legitimate uses such as medical masks or cold-weather protection.

The debate has intensified after the recent incidents involving masked individuals.

Mr Farage framed the issue as one of basic social trust and public safety, saying people should be identifiable if they wish to participate in British public life.