Burka ban protesters disrupt Ukip campaign launch

A group of activists have disrupted Ukip's election campaign launch in London to demonstrate against the party's proposed public ban on head coverings.

Four protesters, including a young woman wearing a head scarf, spoke out in turn in front of the cameras assembled to hear leader Paul Nuttall's launch in Westminster.

The activists were ushered out of the room as one condemned Ukip as a "nasty, racist party" that wanted to "spread division and racism".

The young woman added: "How dare they tell a Muslim woman what to wear?"

Ukip sources said the protesters, who were cleared before Mr Nuttall took to the stage for his party's official launch, had gained access to the venue by posing as reporters.

Mr Nuttall has denied the string of policies were designed to be divisive.

He used his address to warn a giant Tory majority would allow the prime minister to "backslide" further on Brexit and put Britain's EU exit "at peril".

The Ukip leader accused Mrs May of already rowing back on immigration promises and said she had refused to rule out paying a huge divorce bill from the EU.

"Hordes of Tory lobby fodder will allow the Prime Minister to backslide safe in the knowledge that she has the votes banked," Mr Nuttall said as he condemned Mrs May's election call as "flagrant opportunism".

He added: "We are not convinced that the prime minister, who campaigned to Remain in the referendum, will get the deal the British people want.

"She is already beginning to backslide on immigration, with the Government now telling us that immigration will run at today's level for the next decade.

"She has said nothing to guarantee our waters and protect our fishermen and she will not rule out paying a huge divorce bill once we have left the European Union."

Mr Nuttall, meanwhile, refused to confirm whether he will stand in the strongly pro-Brexit constituency of Boston and Skegness for Ukip.

Paul Nuttall said Ukip had a 'great opportunity' in what he framed as a 'Brexit election'. Credit: PA

He said he will announce his campaign seat on Saturday as the party bids to regain representation within Parliament.

Mr Nuttall said: "Anyone hoping that Ukip is going to fade away from the political scene is going to be bitterly disappointed over the next few weeks and, I predict, confounded over the next few years.

"We have a great opportunity in this election because it is an election on Ukip's turf. It is a Brexit election."

The Ukip launch came four days after Mr Nuttall and his leading team introduced the raft of controversial 'integration' policies.

ITV News Political Correspondent Paul Brand noted the policies suggested former leader Nigel Farage's call for the party to promote "tougher" measures to "own" the immigration debate had taken effect.

The proposals, which were aimed almost entirely at Britain's Muslim community, were condemned by their election rivals as "full-throttled Islamophobia" while also causing unrest within the party.

Ukip's foreign affairs spokesman, West Midlands MEP Jim Carver, resigned his post on Tuesday as he condemned the perceived burka ban as "vile".

Mr Nuttall defended the measures and argued the party was "10 years ahead of our time" on the issues.