Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin has called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to "ban the Burqa" in the "interest of public safety".
Addressing the House of Commons during Prime Minister's Questions, the representative for Runcorn and Helsby questioned the Labour leader on whether he would follow in the footsteps of other European nations.
Asking Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer directly, Pochin asked: "Given the Prime Minister's desire to strengthen strategic alignment with our European neighbours, will he, in the interests of public safety, follow the lead of France, Denmark, Belgium and others and ban the burqa?"
Pochin was met with reaction and jeers from fellow MPs in the House as Starmer stood up to deliver his response.
Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin called on the Prime Minister to 'ban the burqa'
Parliament TV
Welcoming Pochin to the Commons after her first question, Starmer jibed: "Can I welcome her to her place? But I'm not going to follow her down that line."
Hitting out at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, Starmer told Pochin: "But now she is here and safely in her place, perhaps she could tell her new party leader that his latest plan to bet £80billion of unfunded tax cuts, with no idea how he's going to pay for it is Liz Truss all over again?"
Starmer's attack on Farage triggered laughter in the House by his Labour cabinet, as he then took aim directly at Pochin.
The Prime Minister swiped: "Although, considering I think she was a Conservative member when Liz Truss was leader, I probably won't."
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Starmer jokingly 'welcomed her to her place' following the question
Parliament TV
Throwing his support behind Pochin's call to "ban the Burqa", Former Home Secretary James Cleverly slammed Keir Starmer's response, claiming his jibe towards the Runcorn MP and Nigel Farage was "unacceptable".
The MP for Braintree wrote on social media: "Unacceptable behaviour from Keir Starmer at PMQs.
"After failing to answer any of Kemi’s questions he basically said to Sarah Pochin that he didn’t like her question, so 'wasn’t going to engage with it.'
"Refusing to answers MP’s questions isn’t an option as a government minister."
Pochin appeared to be bemused by Starmer's response as he joked about 'not following her down that line'
Parliament TV
Reacting to Pochin's question, Labour MP for Chipping Barnet Dan Tomlinson admitted he was "surprised" by her choice.
Speaking to GB News, Tomlinson claimed "no one raised that issue with me" when he door-stopped in her constituency.
He said: "I went up to Runcorn to try and help Labour secure a win there. No one raised that issue with me when I spent the day up there. I was personally surprised to see her raise that as an issue.
"My view is that we shouldn't be telling people how to dress."
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