Majority of Britons favour banning burqa

The majority of British people would support a ban on the “burqa”, while almost half would back a ban on the “burkini” swimsuit, according to a survey by the polling group YouGov.

Some 57 per cent of people said they would support outlawing the wearing of the burka, while 25 per cent said they would oppose such a ban.

People belonging to the age group 18-24 was the only group to oppose a ban – all others were in favour, with the oldest 65 and above group backing the prohibition by a startling 78 per cent to 12.

However, a separate question asked by YouGov found that 57 percent of respondents in the United Kingdom support banning the burqa in public places, while 25 percent are against outlawing it.

The findings follow a controversial ban on the burkini in France, which has seen armed police forcing Muslim women to remove their full-body bathing suits.

The country’s highest administrative court later suspended the ruling after it was challenged by rights groups.

Ukip leadership candidate Lisa Duffy has proposed such a ban and Conservative MPs Philip Hollobone, Peter Bone and Christopher Chope called for a public ban of the burqa in 2013.

Meanwhile, 84 per cent of people who voted Ukip in 2015 said they would support a ban compared with 66 per cent of Tory voters, 48 per cent of Labour voters and 42 per cent of Lib Dem voters.

Some 46 percent of British people would support a similar ban on the burkini, against 30 percent who were opposed, with 18 percent neither for or against.

The survey also found similar support for a burka ban in Germany with 62% supporting a ban and 27% opposing.

A number of European countries have legislated to ban or restrict things associated with the Islamic faith.