Reform UK’s London mayor candidate condemned for burqa stop and search remarks | Reform UK

Reform UK’s London mayoral candidate, Laila Cunningham, has faced accusations of endangering Muslims after suggesting women wearing burqas should be subject to stop and search.

Burqa and Stop and Search

Cunningham, announced as Reform’s candidate for the 2028 mayoral elections last week, stated that no one should cover their face “in an open society,” asserting that concealing one’s face implies a “criminal reason.”

The former Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor said that in some parts of London, it “does feel like a Muslim city,” noting signs in different languages and the sale of burqas in markets. She advocated for “one civic culture” that “should be British.”

Cunningham has been the subject of Islamophobic abuse since her candidacy was announced. Labour peer Shaista Gohir, chair of Muslim Women’s Network UK, labeled Cunningham’s comments “dangerous” and a “dog whistle” to racists, warning they would further alienate Muslim women.

Gohir stated her charity had to remove signage and staff profile pictures due to a surge in abusive and threatening communications, including letters containing hateful rhetoric. She added that Cunningham was “sending a message to Muslims that they do not belong” and “emboldening people who already abuse Muslims.”

Gohir questioned the practicality of Cunningham’s proposal, asking if police would arrest wealthy burqa-wearing visitors or only women in specific areas. The number of Muslim women who wear the burqa in the UK is small, she noted.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan responded to the comments, stating that a mayor’s role is to unite people, not divide them. He emphasized London’s diversity as a source of strength and highlighted the importance of British rights to freedom of religion and expression.

Labour MP Afzal Khan called Cunningham’s comments a “deliberate and cynical ploy” for electoral gain, referencing research that linked Boris Johnson’s previous remarks about veiled Muslim women to a rise in anti-Muslim attacks. He asserted that individuals have the freedom to choose what they wear.

The issue of the veil has previously caused internal debate within Reform UK. Last July, party chair Zia Yusuf described a call for a burqa ban by Reform MP Sarah Pochin as “dumb,” stating it was not party policy. Yusuf reposted Cunningham’s interview on X on Friday.