Farage's attack on Turkish barber shops is dog-whistle racism, minister says

"Nigel Farage's attack on Turkish barber shops amounts to dog-whistle racism without a credible plan to fix struggling high streets across the country, a government minister has said. Miatta Fahnbulleh, the devolution, faith and communities minister, said the Reform UK leader was deploying the politics of grievance as his populist rightwing party attempts to capitalise on high street decline. We're all aligned in thinking the last government failed in the last 15 years, but they [Reform] don't have the answers, she said."

"They turn and do the politics of division. They blame people of difference rather than deal with the fundamentals. Asked if she thought the focus on Turkish barbers had racist overtones, she said: Yes, I do. The fundamentals aren't to do with the colour of the skin of people running our high streets. It's to do with long-term decline and neglect."

Miatta Fahnbulleh said Nigel Farage's attack on Turkish barber shops amounts to dog-whistle racism and lacks a credible plan to fix struggling high streets. She said Reform UK is using politics of grievance and division, blaming people of difference instead of addressing long-term decline and neglect. Reform has made crumbling town centres a central issue, promising a national high street emergency and measures to shut down illicit shops as it contests local elections. Research indicates Reform's support has grown most in English towns with high rates of shop closures and long-term vacancies. Barber shop numbers have risen despite wider retail closure.

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