UKIP admit ‘similarities’ with Donald Trump stance over new Muslim migration policy – UK

In a new 18-page manifesto, the party are proposing a “security-based screening policy” for migration from “Islamic countries”.

The plan prompted immediate criticism from one of UKIP’s former MEPs, who accused the party of a “dog-whistle approach” towards Muslims.

The new “interim” manifesto, being unveiled at the party’s 25th anniversary conference in Birmingham on Friday, is described by leader Gerard Batten as a means to turn UKIP into a “populist party”.

The manifesto covers 30 different areas of policy, with one area reserved for “combating Islamic literalist and fundamentalist extremism”.

One paragraph states: “UKIP will end mass uncontrolled immigration, and under a security-based screening policy we restrict any limited migration from Islamic countries to those people we can be sure, as far as possible, do not follow a literalist and extremist interpretation of Islam.”

Asked whether the proposal mirrored the stance of Mr Trump, a UKIP spokesman insisted the policy was “entirely homegrown” and would apply to countries such as Iran.

He told Sky News: “Although there are similarities, there has been no conscious aping of the president of America’s policies.”

UKIP also denied the policy represented a “Muslim ban” – as Mr Trump once proposed for the US – with the spokesman adding this was “clear from the wording”.

However, North East England MEP Jonathan Arnott, who quit UKIP months after making an attack on the party’s “anti-Islam messages”, spoke out against the new policy.

The ex-UKIP general secretary told Sky News: “We should all agree on the need to fight extremism, but you can’t do that by alienating moderate Muslims – without reports from within the Muslim community, we wouldn’t have foiled so many terror plots.

“Their approach to Muslims is pretty much dog-whistle stuff: the words themselves aren’t exactly great, but the intended meaning behind them is much worse.”

While campaigning during the 2016 US presidential election, Mr Trump called for a “total and complete shutdown” of Muslims entering America, before his plan morphed into “extreme vetting” for would-be immigrants.

His proposal later altered into a travel ban from Muslim-majority countries and – following a series of court rulings – now prohibits nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen from entering the US.

It also covers travellers from North Korea and certain government officials from Venezuela.

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Since becoming UKIP leader in April, Mr Batten has faced accusations of moving the anti-EU party towards the far-right, while he has also reiterated his belief Islam is a “death cult”.

Earlier this week, he was criticised by ex-UKIP leader Nigel Farage for endorsing an anti-Muslim rally which turned violent in Sunderland.

Commenting on UKIP’s new manifesto, Mr Batten said: “These policies are aimed at helping the people who form the backbone of Britain: ordinary workers and taxpayers, the unemployed who would like to work, and small and medium-sized business owners.

“Its purpose is to make UKIP a populist party in the real meaning of the word – one whose policies are popular with voters.”

In a new Ipsos MORI poll published on Thursday, UKIP were backed by 2% of voters, down four points from a July survey.