West Midlands MEP clashes with Tory Minister in burka row
Jul 20 2010 by Jonathan Walker, Birmingham Post
Burkas should be banned from British streets to prevent crime, according to a West Midlands MEP.
Mike Nattrass (West Midlands UKIP) clashed with Conservative Cabinet Minister Caroline Spelman (Con Meriden) after she said the freedom to wear a burka was “empowering” for women.
Mrs Spelman, the Environent Secretary, spoke out against a ban after one Tory backbencher proposed laws making it illegal to wear a burka.
But Mr Nattrass said he would back a ban. He said: “It’s about as empowering as hiding in the cupboard under the stairs.
“It doesn’t empower anyone to hide their face. It puts them at a disadvantage in our society.”
He said the burka could be used to conceal the identity of criminals.
“It is not the women who wear the burka who are involved, but there have been cases of men dressing in a burka and attempting to enter shops or banks.
“It is not about religion. The Muslims I speak to will say it has nothing to do with religion. It is about concealing your identity.
“Covering the face is unacceptable. We don’t allow the Klu Klux Klan, we probably wouldn’t allow someone dressed as Batman or the Lone Ranger.”
Speaking earlier, Mrs Spelman said she would oppose any ban.
She said: “I don’t, living in this country as a woman, want to be told what I can and can’t wear. I’ve been out to Afghanistan and I think I understand much better as a result of actually visiting why a lot of Muslim women want to wear the burka.”
She added: “We are a free country, we attach importance to people being free and for a woman it is empowering to be able to choose each morning when you wake up what you wear.”
Kettering MP Philip Hollobone (Con) has tabled a private member’s Bill that would make it illegal for anyone to cover his or her face in public, although it is very unlikely to become law without Government support.
A YouGov survey found that 67 per cent of voters wanted the wearing of full-face veils to be outlawed.
France’s lower house of parliament has overwhelmingly approved a ban on wearing burka-style Islamic veils, and Spain and Belgium have similar votes in the pipeline.
