Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf branded a question from one of his own MPs “dumb” as the row over a burqa ban intensified.

Runcorn and Helsby MP Sarah Pochin, during Prime Minister’s Questions, asked Sir Keir Starmer if he would ban the garment.

Reform UK quickly came out and said the move was not official party policy.

But Mr Yusuf added fuel to the fire on Thursday morning, declaring: “”Nothing to do with me.

“Had no idea about the question nor that it wasn’t policy. Busy with other stuff.

“I do think it’s dumb for a party to ask the PM if they would do something the party itself wouldn’t do.”

Ms Pochin said: “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 burka?”

Her question triggered disquiet in the Commons and cries of “shame” from MPs.

Nigel Farage, discussing the comments on GB News, said: “My new parliamentary colleague in reform UK for Runcorn and Helsby, Sarah Pochin had her first Prime Minister’s question today, and it really surprised the House of Commons.

“And the poor old Prime Minister, you mentioned my name 16 times in one speech last week. Dear, dear, dear.

“I think this debate actually goes beyond the burqa. And she listed some European countries but I’m going to add to that, Cameroon, Chad Republic of Congo, Gabon, Tunisia. In Asia, China, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. There are many, many, many countries in the world that are banning the burqa.

“But I think it goes further than that. You see, Sarah said, “in the interest of public safety”.

“I was in Aberdeen Monday, there was a mob there to meet me, an organisation called Antifa, and half of them had complete face coverings on so they would be unidentifiable.

“I don’t think face coverings in public places make sense, and I think we do deserve debate about that, which I see the burqa as being a part.

“It’s a tough one. It is a very difficult debate, but it’s a debate. The Quran does not say anything about wearing a burqa. It does say they want women to dress modestly. And actually, if you go to Morocco or Egypt or the UAE – Muslim countries – you won’t see a single woman in a burqa. It’s a relatively new thing.

“There is another social point: People do feel uncomfortable, actually, around people whose faces are covered. And I think it’s a very difficult thing.

“Certainly, I think masked protesters who can turn up and demonstrate and, in some cases use violence, should not be able to get away with it.”

And Tory MP Nick Timothy backed calls to ban the burqa.