Reform UK says a previous debate they led on the issue was ended “prematurely”
Democrat reporter
Reform UK is set to force a vote on banning burqas in Scotland, saying other political parties “conspired” to end their previous debate on the issue “prematurely”.
Last month, the party’s deputy Scottish leader Thomas Kerr led a members’ business debate on restricting face-coverings in public, including the burqa and the niqab.
During that debate, Mr Kerr described the veils as “oppressive” and said they had “no place in modern Scotland”.
However, the debate descended into chaos, with Reform UK being accused of racism and women protesting outside the parliament.
“My fellow MSPs who hold a variety of views regarding face-coverings in public places intended to speak on that evening, so this second debate effectively follows up the original slot to allow the full spectrum of those voices to be heard.”
The party’s health spokeswoman, Helen McDade MSP, will lead the debate on Wednesday afternoon.
She adds that further restrictions on these veils could improve “public safety, individual liberty and community cohesion”.
The burqa is a veil worn by some Muslim women that covers the face and body, leaving a mesh screen over the eyes to see through. The niqab is a similar veil that leaves the area around the eyes clear.
Several European countries have banned or restricted burqas and other full-face veils in public spaces in recent years, including France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Italy.
In England and Wales, police officers can order people to remove face coverings under similar circumstances. As of April, police officers elsewhere in the UK also have the powers to declare mask-free zones for up to 24 hours during protests, but there are exemptions for religious, health and work reasons.
Those in breach of these rules can face fines of up to £1,000 and up to one month in jail.
SNP MSP Steven Bonnar said: “This is yet another dangerous attempt by Reform at sowing division in our communities.
“Women should be free to choose to wear what they want – the SNP will always back their right to do so and stand squarely against Reform’s toxic agenda of inciting racial tension in our society.”