Burka Ban Would Be 'un-British'

[Raistlin]

Banning the wearing of the Islamic full veil in public would be "un-British", the immigration minister has said.

Damian Green told the Sunday Telegraph trying to pass such a law would be at odds with the UK's "tolerant and mutually respectful society".

It comes after Tory MP Philip Hollobone introduced a private members' bill which would make it illegal for people to cover their faces in public.

Last week French MPs voted to ban the wearing of full face veils in public.

The bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by France's lower house of parliament, must now be ratified by the Senate in September to become law.

If it is passed, it will be illegal to wear garments such as the face-covering niqab or body-covering burka, anywhere in public.

Several other European countries including Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium have debated regulating the use of face covering garments.

But Mr Green said such a move was "very unlikely" to be copied in the UK.

"Telling people what they can and can't wear, if they're just walking down the street, is a rather un-British thing to do,"

"We're a tolerant and mutually respectful society."

Catherine Heseltine from the Muslim Public Affairs Committee said MPs should not waste their time discussing it.

She said: "Britain is a free country. We value our freedoms and we don't want MPs or the government telling British citizens what they can or can't wear.

"How does it hurt anybody else if a woman chooses to wear a small piece of cloth across her face?

"Quite frankly, MPs, there's a £160bn debt; shouldn't they be busier worrying about what they're going to do about that, than a small piece of cloth that a few women choose to wear?"

"So actually banning the burka is absolutely contrary, I think, to what this country is all about."

'Aggressively secular'

Mr Green said there were occasions when it was important to be able to see someone's face, but insisted that "it's very unlikely and it would be undesirable for the British Parliament to try and pass a law dictating what people wore".

The minister said that, unlike France, the UK was not "aggressively secular".

It comes after fellow Conservative MP Mr Hollobone, who put forward the Face Coverings (Regulation) Bill, declared that he would not meet burka or niqab-clad women at his Kettering constituency surgeries unless they lifted their veils.

He has previously described the burka as "offensive" and "against the British way of life".

Shadow justice secretary jack Straw, who sparked controversy in 2006 when he revealed he asked constituents to lift their veils, said he was opposed to a ban.

The former minister said he was "seeking to generate a debate within a framework of freedom", adding that about half agreed to his request and half refused.

[Phoenix999]

Ha ha ha ha ha.... un-British that is utterly pathetic

The damn clothing and the covering of the face in such a way is in fact un-British

Get a grip and stand up for what this country is.... it is a western culture

[Bos]

Ha ha ha ha ha.... un-British that is utterly pathetic

The damn clothing and the covering of the face in such a way is in fact un-British

Get a grip and stand up for what this country is.... it is a western culture

When ever I fill in any form I always put ENGLISH for nationality, not British.

No one in Scotland or Wales would put British so why should I!

[balli hi]

As Steve said its the complete opposite , i knew this country would not follow in the footsteps of Denmark and now France in banning the Burkah , its all about not upsetting foreign communitys and suppressing english culture for fear of offending

[TAF]

Ha ha ha ha ha.... un-British that is utterly pathetic

The damn clothing and the covering of the face in such a way is in fact un-British

Get a grip and stand up for what this country is.... it is a western culture

When ever I fill in any form I always put ENGLISH for nationality, not British.

No one in Scotland or Wales would put British so why should I!

Freedon of expression/speach seems to be for everyone in western world except muslims.

[Raistlin]

Ha ha ha ha ha.... un-British that is utterly pathetic

The damn clothing and the covering of the face in such a way is in fact un-British

Get a grip and stand up for what this country is.... it is a western culture

When ever I fill in any form I always put ENGLISH for nationality, not British.

No one in Scotland or Wales would put British so why should I!

Freedon of expression/speach seems to be for everyone in western world except muslims.

That's because we can spell Speech and Freedom and we would always capitalise Muslims...

[balli hi]

Ha ha ha ha ha.... un-British that is utterly pathetic

The damn clothing and the covering of the face in such a way is in fact un-British

Get a grip and stand up for what this country is.... it is a western culture

When ever I fill in any form I always put ENGLISH for nationality, not British.

No one in Scotland or Wales would put British so why should I!

Freedon of expression/speach seems to be for everyone in western world except muslims.

That's because we can spell Speech and Freedom and we would always capitalise Muslims...

Trust you to notice :lol2:

[Jan&tone]

Actually, we do NOT have freedom of speech any more. That is why you are not allowed to publish or to state in public any views that are derogatory to any religion except Christianity.

You can rubbish Christianity,but no other religion.

Frankly, I have noroblem with any immigrant or British Born 2nd or 3rd generation BUT they MUST speak English

This ridiculous idea of printing official documents in dozens of languages is too wasteful

[Bizarra]

I'm Irish, so I'm keeping my mouth shut.....................for once

That said, It is up to newcomers to fit in with our Customs & ways [our = Irish + Uk = similar]& be grateful that they are free from the yoke of Al Quaeda & the Taliban

[Raistlin]

I'm Irish, so I'm keeping my mouth shut

What went wrong... +2

[Bizarra]

I'm Irish, so I'm keeping my mouth shut

What went wrong... +2

Me? Keep my mouth shut ? :lol2:

[Raistlin]

Only to swallow...

Copious amounts of wine,

[Raistlin]

Female students wearing a full face veil will be barred from Syrian university campuses, the country's minister of higher education has said.

Ghiyath Barakat was reported to have said that the practice ran counter to the academic values and traditions of Syrian universities.

His ruling, published on the All4Syria website, was said to be in response to requests from students and parents.

The issue of full face veils has caused controversy in other countries.

Kinda al-Shammat, a law professor and women's rights activist in Damascus, welcomed the decision and said it was in line with the Syrian belief in moderation.

"We have never gone to the extreme left or the extreme right," she told Al-Arabiya TV.

However the BBC's Lina Sinjab in Damascus says the ruling could be a sign that Syrian Society is becoming more conservative.

"In recent years, Syria has witnessed an Islamic revival with more and more women wearing the Hijab," she reports.

"This decision could be seen as a step by the government to enforce its secular identity."

In 2009, Egypt's then foremost Muslim cleric, Sheikh Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, barred female students from wearing the full-face veil at the al-Azhar University, Sunni Islam's centre of learning and scholarship.

He also upset other Muslim scholars by saying French Muslims should obey any law that France might enact banning the veil.

Earlier this month, France's lower house of parliament overwhelmingly approved a bill that would ban wearing the Islamic full veil in public.

It must be ratified by the Senate in September to become law.

Belgium's lower house of parliament has also passed a bill to ban clothing that hides a person's identity in public places, although it does not specifically refer to full-face Islamic veils.