‘Integration manifesto’ leads to accusations of Islamophobia
UKIP IS facing accusations of “Islamophobia” over calls to ban Muslim faith schools and introduce mandatory medical checks on girls believed to be at risk of female genital mutilation.
The criticism came as leader Paul Nuttall refused to confirm whether or not he will stand in the forthcoming snap election, despite expectations among members that he will run.
Unveiling the party’s new “integration agenda” at an election event in London, Mr Nuttall listed a series of controversial policies, including an outright ban on niqabs and the practice of Sharia.
The mini-manifesto was widely criticised, with Green Party leader Caroline Lucas describing it as an “attack on Muslims”.
“Ukip’s ‘integration agenda’ is an assault on multiculturalism... It’s full throttled Islamaphobia,” Ms Lucas said.
“Now that the referendum has passed Nuttall’s party is desperately scrabbling around for relevance and seem to have settled upon attacks on Muslims and fringe far-right politics as their new home.”
Among the policies outlined by Ukip was a call for girls “at risk” of FGM to have medical examinations every year, and whenever they return from travelling abroad
The party is also proposing a ban sharia from being applied in the UK, a ban on the wearing of “face coverings” in public places and a “moratorium” on new Islamic faith schools.
Defending the policies, Mr Nuttall stated they were “not designed to sow the seeds of division” but instead to “(promote) integration in British society”.
He added that he believed Ukip was “10 years ahead of our time” on these issues, predicting the Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats will be “where we are today at some point in the 2020s”.
Mr Nuttall refused to commit to standing in the general election, but suggested he would stay on in the role if he fails to become an MP. He repeatedly pointed to a meeting of Ukip’s national executive committee at the end of the week, after which candidate selections will be made.