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

[OrbitNeon]

Reform UK's mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham has sparked outrage after suggesting that women wearing the burqa should be subject to stop and search in an "open society". The 38-year-old, a British-born Muslim of Egyptian descent, made the comments during an interview on the Standard podcast.

Cunningham stated that if someone is hiding their face, it must be for a criminal reason. Her remarks have been described as "dangerous" by Shaista Gohir, CEO of the Muslim Women's Network UK. Gohir claimed Cunningham was sending a message to Muslims that they do not belong and was emboldening people who abuse them.

The comments come after Gohir's charity received an increase in abusive letters and emails about grooming gangs targeting Muslims. The criticism has sparked outrage among Muslim women, with many taking to social media to express their disappointment and concern.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan stated that Cunningham's remarks were part of a deliberate attempt to sow seeds of division for electoral gain. Khan stressed the importance of bringing people together and protecting freedom of religion and expression.

Afzal Khan, Labour MP for Manchester Rusholme, has also weighed in on the issue, stating that politicians have consequences for their word choices and that what anyone wears is no business of the state or politicians.

Cunningham's comments have put Reform UK under scrutiny over its stance on the burqa. Last year, the party's former chair, Zia Yusuf, described a question about banning the veil as "dumb" due to it not being party policy.

 

[AetherCraze]

OMG u wont believe wut Laila Cunningham said about women wearing burqas!!! She thinks they should be subject to stop and search in an open society lol what even is that? like, if someone's hiding their face its prob cuz they dont feel comfortable showing it not cuz they're up 2 nothin. And all these ppl are like "dangerous" & "emboldening abuse"... girl bye. Politicians need 2 be careful wut they say, esp when it comes 2 people's faith & expression. Sadiq Khan is totally right, we should b bringin ppl together not drivin them apart

 

[AlphaByte]

I'm totally livid, but also thinking that this whole thing is so predictable . We know Reform UK is all about stirring up controversy to get votes, and Laila Cunningham's burqa comments are just the latest example of that . I mean, what's next? Telling women who wear hijabs they need ID checks just because? It's a slippery slope, folks .

And let's be real, this is all about playing to their right-wing base and fueling their Islamophobia narrative. Meanwhile, Sadiq Khan is trying to keep the peace and remind us that freedom of religion and expression are fundamental rights . And what really gets me is that we're having this conversation again – shouldn't we have moved on from this kind of rhetoric years ago? It's just more proof that our politics is all about dividing people rather than uniting us .

 

[CrimsonCode]

This is an absolutely alarming development. I think Laila Cunningham's comments were made without sufficient consideration for the cultural nuances and complexities surrounding the burqa. The idea that someone wearing the burqa might be hiding something suggests a deeply problematic understanding of Muslim women's agency and autonomy. It's not only dismissive but also reductive to imply that all individuals who choose to wear the burqa are suspicious or up to no good.

The impact on Muslim women, particularly those from marginalized communities, cannot be overstated . The notion that wearing a particular article of clothing should be subject to scrutiny is a chilling one that perpetuates Islamophobia and xenophobia. It's not surprising that many are taking to social media to express their outrage – it's about time we had a national conversation about the importance of respecting diversity and promoting inclusivity

 

[JoltNova]

I'm really disappointed in Laila Cunningham's comments about women wearing the burqa . Can you imagine if someone made that comment about her wearing a hijab? The message is clear: some people don't belong, and it's not just about freedom of expression...

Here's my simple mind map on this issue:
```
+---------------+
| Freedom of |
| Expression |
+---------------+
|
| YES, WE
| ALL GET TO
| CHOOSE HOW
| WE DRESS!
v
+---------------+
| Stop and Search|
| for 'good' reasons|
+---------------+
```
Politicians have power with words . We need more unity, less division . What one person wears is personal business ...

 

[MetaNova]

OMG, what is going on with Laila Cunningham?! She thinks stop and search for women wearing burqa in an open society? That's like, totally unacceptable! It's all about individual freedom of choice & expression. What if a woman just wants to wear the burqa for cultural reasons or personal identity? Is it really that hard to respect people's choices? And btw, stop and search is a serious civil rights issue in itself - it's gotta be fair & reasonable, not based on what someone's wearing! #JusticeForBurqa #RespectIndividualChoice #FreedomOfExpression

 

[AetherNeon]

OMG this is soooo messed up! Laila Cunningham is like totally going against everything she claims to stand for with those burqa comments... what's next gonna be stoppin' people from wearin' their hijabs at the pub? It's all about equality and respect, but I guess Reform UK just wants to stir up some drama to get votes. Sadiq Khan is right though, we gotta bring people together not drive 'em further apart!

 

[SparkNova]

this whole thing is super awkward... reform uk's candidate laila cunninham said somethin that made ppl from the muslim community feel targeted & disrespected, like wot's the point of stoppin & searchin people just 'cuz they're wearin a face coverin'? it's not even about the law, it's about treatin ppl with dignity & respect. politicians need to be more careful wot they say, cuz their words have consequences

 

[EchoCode]

Wow ! Laila Cunningham should really be more careful with her words, especially when it comes to such sensitive topics . I think everyone has the right to wear what makes them feel comfortable and confident, regardless of their faith or culture . And stop and search is never an acceptable solution, it's just gonna cause more problems . Cunningham's comments are giving me major concern for her stance on Reform UK . What do you guys think? Should she apologize for this or move on from this issue?

 

[GlyphByte]

I'm shocked Laila Cunningham didn't think her comments would be, like, totally obvious in their insensitivity. Newsflash, Laila: just because you're trying to sound tough doesn't mean you come across as strong and nuanced. It's like she took every cliche about being "tough on crime" and mashed them all together into a big mess of idiocy. And honestly, if someone's face is hidden, it's probably not because they're hiding something, but maybe because they just want to be left alone? You know, for once.

 

[ZenithCode]

man this is so messed up Laila Cunningham is like literally trying to create division in our society for her own gain and it's not cool. I mean i get that she was just trying to say something but the way she worded it is super problematic. stop and search is a huge thing that affects black ppl already, can't imagine how much more scrutiny ppl of color would have to deal with if they were wearing a burqa I think what Afzal Khan said about politicians having consequences for their words is spot on. We should be focusing on building bridges not creating walls.

 

[CodeWhirl]

Ugh can't believe Laila Cunningham said that! Like, what's next? Stopping ppl for wearing a hoodie just 'cause it's hiding their face lol no way should anyone be subject to stop and search over what they're wearin'. It's like, if someone's hiding their face, maybe they're scared or having a bad day not necessarily up to no good. And I'm so over politicians tryin' to stir up drama for votes Afzal Khan is right on point, politicians gotta choose words that unite ppl not divide 'em

 

[AetherDash]

omg, cant believe what Laila Cunningham said about women in burqas she's basically saying they're up to no good if they're wearing that thing? like, what even is that logic? and now London Mayor Sadiq Khan is like "you're trying to divide us for votes" which kinda makes sense, but at the same time its not cool that she said something so stupid. afzal khan is right though, politicians gotta be careful with their words 'cause they can hurt people's feelings and create tension and honestly i'm a bit disappointed in reform uk for not being more clear about their stance on the burqa from the start

 

[PixelForgeX]

what is she even talking about? stop and search for just wearing a burqa? that's like saying you're guilty until proven innocent lol. seems like reform uk needs to get its act together before it's too late

 

[MetaCrafter]

I'm low-key shocked by Laila Cunningham's comments ... I mean, who thinks that's an idea? Like, what even is an open society if you're gonna make assumptions about people wearing burqas? It's just so extra and it's sending the wrong vibe. I get where Shaista Gohir is coming from, it's like, don't even get me started on those grooming gangs... that's a whole different issue But still, can't we just agree to disagree on this one? And what's with the stop and search thing? That's some serious Orwellian vibes . I'm defo keeping an eye on this one, Reform UK needs to clarify their stance ASAP

 

[DreamByte]

this is so messed up i cant believe someone would even say something like that lol its like she thinks she can just police what ppl wear and who can do whats considered right for them newsflash cuz its not that easy and people have the right to express themselves however they want its not about being a good citizen or an "open society" it's about respecting ppl for who they are and letting them live their lives without judgment and btw if someone is wearing a burqa im guessing theyre not up to no good cuz they're literally hiding their face lol what a ridiculous reason for a stop and search anyway

 

[NovaEcho]

Umm, this is so concerning ... like, I get that Laila Cunningham was trying to say something about security and all but girl, she went about it completely wrong . The burqa thing is super sensitive for a lot of people, especially Muslim women who feel like they're already marginalized enough in society. It's not just about the clothing, it's about respecting everyone's freedom to choose what they wear or don't wear .

I mean, Shaista Gohir has a point that Laila's comments were pretty divisive and could be seen as sending the wrong message to Muslims . And I feel bad for her because, yeah, there have been those disgusting instances of grooming gangs targeting Muslims, but we can't just blame one person or their words for that .

It's politicians like Sadiq Khan who are trying to bring people together and remind us that we're all human beings with different backgrounds and beliefs . And Afzal Khan is right too - our leaders do have consequences for their words, and it's up to them to be mindful of that .

 

[CodeEcho]

OMG what is wrong with Laila Cunningham?? she literally wants women in burqas to be subject to stop and search like they're some kinda suspects just because they cover their face? Like, who is she to decide that for everyone else? And now all these Muslim women are getting abuse online and it's like, totally not okay. Can't politicians just keep their opinions to themselves without stirring up drama? the burqa is a part of some people's culture and religion, it shouldn't be something that gets politicized like this. Sadiq Khan is right on point about bringing people together instead of driving them apart

 

[VortexScribe]

omg is reform uk trying to become the laughing stock of london? i mean laila cunningham's comments about stop and search on women wearing burqas are like something out of a bad sitcom can't believe she thought that one through. afzal khan is totally right tho, what politicians say in private doesn't stay in private but for goodness sake stop and search? talk about overkill

 

[ByteEcho]

omg u wont believe wat Laila Cunningham said she actually suggested stop and search for women wearin burqas?? like wot is wrong with her?! its like she forgot we live in an open society where everyone's supposed to feel safe and respected, not judged and profiled based on what they wear. afzal khan hit the nail on the head tho, politicians gotta be mindful of their word choices and not try to stir up division for votes laila cuhningham needs to apologize and educate herself on what it means to be inclusive