The party’s leadership hopeful today said she wants the Muslim veil banned in public buildings, shopping centres and on buses and trains.  Duffy has demanded

Duffy, according to the Telegraph, also wants Islamic faith schools to be shut down in a bid to tackle radicalisation, as well as a “complete and comprehensive ban” on sharia courts in the UK.

In a speech in London, Duffy said her proposals are designed to foster integration, arguing that:

Muslims who were born in this country … are as British as I am and I simply want them to feel as British as I do.

The former Ukip director, who is backed by Suzanne Evans, the former Ukip spokeswoman,  is expected to say she wants to “set out a path of opportunity” for young Muslim Women.

Why should I, as a white, Christian woman, effectively enjoy greater civil and human rights and freedoms than others?

The Huntingdonshire district councillor described the veil as:

A symbol of aggressive separatism that can only foster extremism.

And she claimed that it is often:

Forced on women by men who view them as their property.

But a rival in the race to succeed Nigel Farage warned UKIP against focusing its efforts on issues like Islam, warning it risks being seen as “small-minded”.

Launching his own leadership campaign in Manchester, UKIP MEP Bill Etheridge, above, said:

I am proposing that as a party we focus on our policies, cementing libertarianism into our DNA. That means not focusing on small issues like Islam which makes us look small-minded – I’m not chasing the bigot vote.

While stopping short of a complete ban on the veil, Duffy said that under her leadership, UKIP would advocate a “show your face in public” policy.

On our public transport networks, in public buildings, banks, stores and shopping precincts –all those places where teenagers are told to take their hoodies down and where motorcyclists are expected to remove their helmets–it is only reasonable to expect everyone to show their faces.

Again, it is about making sure there is one law for all, rather than making an exception for a community because we are frightened of causing offence. There is no offence to be taken if all are treated equally.

Ms Duffy insists the rule should apply:

Just as much to the retinues accompanying Middle Eastern princes to London as it will to Muslim women living in Britain.

She added that it should not be regarded as Islamophobic for someone to politely request a woman to remove a veil in public.

I have a positive vision for British Islam where girls can grow up with equal rights to men and be given the rights of self-determination the rest of us take for granted.

She said said her leadership bid would be based on “common sense”, adding that her policy on Muslim state schools was:

A positive vision for modernising British Islam.

A Telegraph poll shows that 61 percent of readers agree that there should be “a total ban” of Islamic state schools in Britain.