Reform UK burqa ban Scotland motion debated at Holyrood
A Holyrood debate on a face covering ban in Scotland has no legal force, but it raises questions about police powers, rights and Denmark's rules. Here is what the motion says.
Key points
- Reform MSP Thomas Kerr lodged a Holyrood motion asking the Scottish government to consider restrictions on face coverings, including burkas.
- Members' business motions are debated but not voted on, so the debate changes no law.
- Police Scotland can use Section 60 powers; since April, England and Wales also have mask-free zones for protests.
- The BBC's report names Denmark among countries with face covering restrictions but gives no detail of its rules.
The Reform UK burqa ban Scotland debate reached Holyrood after the party’s MSPs tabled a motion on face coverings in public places. The BBC reported that the debate was bad-tempered, with protesters outside parliament and accusations of racism from other parties. Nothing was decided, because motions of this kind are not voted on.
What Reform UK is asking for in Scotland
Reform’s deputy leader in Scotland, Thomas Kerr, lodged a motion citing the “ongoing debate” about face coverings, “including the burka and niqab, in public places”. It calls on the Scottish government to consider the “potential benefits” of restrictions, including public safety, individual liberty and community cohesion. It also notes that several European countries have imposed limits.
It is a request to consider a policy, not a bill. A motion can be debated only if at least one member of another party backs it, and the Conservatives’ justice spokesman Stephen Kerr did so. He lodged an amendment saying “a clear distinction must be made” between people peacefully wearing religious dress and those concealing their identity in connection with criminality or serious disorder.
Separately, the BBC reported that Nigel Farage announced last month that Reform would ban face coverings in public places, including burkas and balaclavas, if it won power at the next election.
Who is affected and what the rules are now
The most direct effect would fall on Muslim women who wear a burqa or niqab. The BBC describes the burqa as covering the face and body, often with a mesh screen, while the niqab leaves the area around the eyes clear. Masked protesters and balaclava-clad youths, which the BBC says have raised concern in recent months, would also be covered by a broad ban.
Police powers differ between Scotland and England and Wales, as the BBC sets out below.
| Area | Current power |
|---|---|
| Scotland | Police powers differ from those in England and Wales. The sources do not describe a Scottish equivalent of the English mask-free zone power. |
| England and Wales | Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 allows stop and search in designated areas, and officers can order removal of face coverings in similar circumstances. Senior officers must authorise it on reasonable suspicion of serious violence. Since April they can also declare a mask-free zone for up to 24 hours during protests, with exemptions for religion, health or work. |
In practice, a person in an English mask-free zone who breaches the rules can face a £1,000 fine and up to one month in jail. A woman wearing a burqa for religious reasons is exempt. Police Scotland has said it is “monitoring the impact and effectiveness” of the English legislation.
The Denmark comparison and the wider UK picture
The BBC says France, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Chad and Algeria have introduced restrictions on where face coverings can be worn. The sources do not set out what Denmark’s rules cover, how they are enforced or what happened afterwards. Any Denmark burqa ban comparison for the UK therefore rests on thin evidence, and this report does not claim more.
The UK government’s stated position is clearer. Responding to a petition that gathered 71,144 signatures, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “It is not government policy to ban the burka or other face coverings in public.” It added that there is no current legislation banning such coverings and “the government has no intention to introduce any”.
The response says restrictions on religious face coverings engage Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, via the Human Rights Act 1998, and “must be carefully justified”. Non-religious coverings can fall under Article 10, on freedom of expression.
What supporters and critics say
Thomas Kerr told MSPs that burkas were “oppressive” and had “no place in modern Scotland”. He argued that “in ordinary public spaces people’s faces should be visible”. The petition, which closed in 2025, made a similar case on cohesion, security and gender equality.
Critics were forceful. First Minister John Swinney said Reform was seeking to divide communities. Community Safety Minister Kirsten Oswald said: “In a free and open society, it’s up to people – women – what they wear.” SNP MSP Katie Hagmann asked for evidence that clothing was a public safety issue.
Talat Yaqoob of Women Against The Far Right Scotland said women should not be forced to wear face coverings but that Holyrood “should not be involved in the policing of women”. Fatma El Araby, who wears a face covering, said: “It’s part of my belief and no-one should decide for me.”
What to do now
Nothing changes legally for anyone in Scotland. There is no ban, no bill and no vote, and the UK government has said it does not intend to legislate. Women who wear a burqa or niqab, and people who wear masks for health or work, remain under the same rules as before.
If you attend protests in England and Wales, be aware that Section 60 searches can happen in designated areas and that time-limited mask-free zones now exist. If you want to influence the debate, the UK Parliament petition route has fixed thresholds: 10,000 signatures prompt a government response and 100,000 mean consideration for a parliamentary debate. The Scottish Parliament has its own petitions process, and you can also write to your MSP. Watch for any Scottish government response to the motion, and for whether Police Scotland changes its approach after its review of the English powers.
Your questions answered
What is Reform UK calling for regarding burqas in Scotland?
A Holyrood motion asks the Scottish government to consider restrictions on face coverings in public places, including burkas and niqabs, citing public safety, liberty and cohesion.
How does Denmark’s burqa ban compare to UK proposals?
The sources name Denmark among countries with restrictions but give no detail on its rules or results, so a firm comparison is not possible from them.
What are the arguments for and against a burqa ban in Scotland?
Supporters cite safety, integration and equality. Opponents cite religious freedom, women’s choice and the risk of stigmatising Muslim women. The Conservatives separated religious dress from masked disorder.
How this article was produced
This story was researched, written and fact-checked by the Reported.News AI newsroom and edited by Agatha Ives, our AI Politics desk editor. Every claim is checked against the sources listed below. Our Editors, Jack Shaw, James Smith, Matthew Price and Suzy Eaton, oversee everything we publish. Read how we report.
Verification status
Sources (3)
- Petition: Prohibit the wearing of all full-face coverings in public spaces (UK Parliament Petitions, 2 May 2025)
- Reform MSPs accused of racism over burka ban debate at Holyrood (BBC News, 8 Oct 2026)
- Women protest at Scottish Parliament over Reform UK's burqa ban bid (The National, 8 Oct 2026)
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Desk View · Opinion · Agatha Ives (AiPolitics)
The debate mixes two different issues: masked disorder and religious dress. The Conservative amendment and the UK government's response both treat them differently, and the government says restrictions on religious coverings must be carefully justified. Supporters of restrictions point to public safety, cohesion and equality. Opponents point to religious freedom, women's choice and the risk of stigmatising Muslim women. The sources give no detail on what Denmark's rules have achieved, so evidence on their effect is thin, and the arguments on both sides rest largely on principle.
Opinion from our AI politics desk, based on the verified facts above.
Should Scotland restrict full-face coverings in public places?