Reform UK’s head of policy Zia Yusuf has declared Britain should ban the burka in public spaces, calling face coverings a “huge impediment to assimilation” in a dramatic reversal of his earlier position that contributed to his temporary resignation as party chairman just three months ago.
Speaking to former Conservative minister Michael Gove at The Spectator’s packed fringe meeting during Reform UK’s conference at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre this weekend, the 38-year-old son of Sri Lankan immigrants admitted he now supports his colleague Sarah Pochin’s controversial call for prohibition. The policy chief, who previously branded the Runcorn & Helsby MP’s parliamentary question on the matter “dumb” in June, told attendees that face-to-face contact forms “the bedrock of civil society” in Western liberal democracies.
“On the burka itself, many countries have banned it in public,” Mr Yusuf explained to the audience. “In my humble opinion, human-to-human social contact, which is the bedrock of civil society, whether you like it or not, and I do like it, in a western, liberal democracy, it’s facial.”
From Resignation to Return
The volte-face marks a significant shift for Mr Yusuf, who dramatically quit as Reform UK chairman on 5 June after Mrs Pochin asked Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during Prime Minister’s Questions whether Britain would follow France, Denmark and Belgium in banning the burka. At the time, Mr Yusuf criticised the move on social media platform X, stating it was “dumb for a party to ask the PM if they would do something the party itself wouldn’t do.
His resignation lasted just two days. Following discussions with party leader Nigel Farage, Mr Yusuf reversed his decision on 7 June, acknowledging his departure had been “a hasty decision made in frustration. He returned to a newly defined executive position overseeing policy development, fundraising, media strategy and leading the party’s Department of Government Efficiency.
According to party insiders, Mr Yusuf’s initial resignation stemmed partly from exhaustion after working as an unpaid volunteer to quadruple Reform UK’s membership and help the party rise from 14 per cent to 30 per cent in national polls. However, Mr Farage later suggested racist online abuse targeting Mr Yusuf, who describes himself as a “British Muslim patriot”, had also played a role in his temporary departure.
“I think it comes from the very hard extreme right. I have little doubt about that. They’re Indian bots. Someone’s paying for it to happen,” Mr Farage told Times Radio, though he did not specify who might be behind the attacks.
Party Divisions Exposed
The burka debate has exposed deep divisions within Reform UK’s ranks. While Mr Yusuf now personally supports a ban, he stopped short of confirming whether it would feature in the party’s next manifesto. I don’t know yet, we’ll have to see,” he told GB News at the weekend’s conference.
His position now aligns with Reform UK chief whip Lee Anderson, who declared unequivocally: “Ban the burqa? Yes, we should. No one should be allowed to hide their identity in public.” Deputy leader Richard Tice has called for debate on whether the burka is “appropriate for a nation that’s founded in Christianity, where women are equal citizens.
Mrs Pochin, who won her seat by just six votes in a by-election last month, remains adamant the policy should be included in Reform UK’s next manifesto. “I stand by that question and I would very much like to see that in our manifesto,” she told The Telegraph ahead of the conference.
During her maiden conference speech on Saturday, the MP joked about the security concerns her outspoken positions have created. “Although my chief of staff does tell me life would be a lot simpler on the security front if I just walked around everywhere head to toe in a burka. Sorry. I would make sure it was a turquoise burka. And you can get them, you know, on Amazon, I checked.”
Expanding Mr Yusuf’s Stance
At Friday’s fringe meeting, Mr Yusuf expanded his position beyond the burka to include all face coverings in public. My personal view is there should be a ban on face coverings in public. That would include the burka. That would include the crazy Antifa thugs that bear down on people like you at our events,” he stated.
The former Goldman Sachs banker, who sold his luxury concierge company Velocity Black to Capital One for £233 million in 2023, earning an estimated £31 million personally, argued that facial visibility is crucial for social integration in British society.
International Context
More than 20 countries worldwide have already imposed restrictions on wearing the burka and niqab, including several Muslim-majority nations. Algeria, Azerbaijan, Tunisia and Morocco have implemented partial bans, typically in government buildings or educational institutions. France became the first European country to introduce a blanket ban in public spaces in 2011, with Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg and Switzerland following suit.
Most recently, Switzerland’s burka ban officially came into effect on 1 January 2025, with violations potentially resulting in fines up to 10,000 Swiss francs (approximately £8,900). Kazakhstan banned the burka and niqab on 1 July 2025, whilst Kyrgyzstan’s ban came into force on 1 February, imposing fines of 20,000 soms (approximately £184) for violations.
Conversely, wearing a burka or niqab remains compulsory for women in Afghanistan, whilst defiance of hijab requirements can result in imprisonment in Iran.
British Public Opinion
Public sentiment in Britain appears divided on the issue, though historical polling suggests majority support for restrictions. YouGov’s most recent comprehensive survey in 2016 found 57 per cent of Britons backed a burka ban, with just 25 per cent opposed. Support was particularly strong amongst older demographics, with 72 per cent of those aged 65 and over favouring prohibition compared to just 36 per cent of 18-24 year olds.
Political affiliation strongly influences attitudes, with 84 per cent of 2015 UKIP voters and 66 per cent of Conservative voters supporting a ban, whilst Labour and Liberal Democrat voters were more evenly split.
Conference Atmosphere
The burka debate emerged as a contentious issue at Reform UK’s largest ever conference, which attracted thousands of members to Birmingham this weekend. The event, described by some attendees as resembling a “wrestle-mania arena” with high-octane music and strobe lighting, saw the party attempting to professionalise whilst maintaining its insurgent appeal.
Party leader Nigel Farage used his closing remarks to issue a stern warning about party discipline, acknowledging the internal controversies that have plagued Reform UK since the last general election. These included the very public falling out with former MP Rupert Lowe, who was suspended following allegations of threatening violence against Mr Yusuf.
Despite the tensions, Reform UK continues to ride high in opinion polls, with recent surveys placing the party at around 30 per cent nationally, leading both Labour and the Conservatives in some polls. The party secured outright majorities in 10 local authorities during May’s local elections and won two metro mayor contests.
Looking Ahead
The burka debate represents a broader challenge for Reform UK as it attempts to balance its anti-immigration stance with avoiding accusations of religious discrimination. Mr Yusuf, whose parents worked for the NHS after emigrating from Sri Lanka in the 1980s, denounced calls for an Islamophobia law during his fringe meeting appearance, suggesting his support for the ban stems from integration rather than religious concerns.
Whether the policy makes it into Reform UK’s next manifesto remains uncertain. Mr Farage has previously described the issue as not being a priority for the party “given the other major crises we face”, though he acknowledged Britain deserves “a debate” on face coverings in public places.
As Reform UK continues to gain momentum, with many viewing a Reform government as a genuine possibility, the party faces increasing scrutiny over its policy positions. The presence of numerous lobbyists and former Conservative advisors at this weekend’s conference suggests the political establishment is taking the party’s electoral prospects seriously.
The burka ban debate exemplifies the delicate balancing act Reform UK must perform as it seeks to maintain its outsider appeal whilst developing credible policies for government. With Mr Yusuf now aligning with the party’s more hardline elements on this issue, Reform UK appears to be edging closer to making a burka ban official policy, despite the internal divisions it has already caused.
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Image Credit:
Zia Yusuf addresses Reform UK conference, Birmingham NEC (30 June 2024) — photo by Z979, CC0 1.0 (Public Domain)
