Ban the Burka? - 17th April 2011

A few constituents have written to urge me to persuade the Government to follow the French example and ban the burka and the niqab, the full face coverings worn by a very small minority of Muslim women. I must confess to some surprise that this is an issue given that I have never seen an example of either garment ever in the New Forest, its villages, or the surrounding market towns.

I would not wish to intrude into the decisions of the French parlement any more than I would welcome their intrusion into our own affairs. What the French choose to do is a matter for them.  I certainly do not, however, believe that we should follow suit. If we faced a persistent problem of being unable to identify female criminal offenders because of this disguise then there would be a case for action to ban the wearing of these garments. We do not face any such problem. Our only difficulty - yes I confess to it- is that we just do not like them.  I am proud of my country’s international renown for tolerance and liberty: we do not ban things just because we do not like them.

Dress is a form of expression, I believe in freedom of expression, so I believe people should be at liberty to dress as they freely choose.  This particular form of dress is also arguably a form of religious observance –though nowhere in the Koran is it required and only a tiny number of Muslim women wear it. I have already said that I do not like it: I know that arguments are made to the contrary, but I cannot help but see it as a badge of female subjugation of which I thoroughly disapprove. I am content to see the practice decline. Nothing, however, could be more calculated to revive the wearing of these garments than the banning of them: Muslim women who would ordinarily never have thought of wearing one would respond by doing so in spirited protest at this unwarranted attack on their culture and religion.

When the police already have more than enough to do rounding up miscreants, I cannot believe that anyone would be so stupid as to create a new victimless criminal offence that would result in such a monumental waste of time. What is the problem that we are trying to solve?

Lots of constituents do write to me about the decline of Christian values and perceived official intolerance of its public practice and expression. I rather suspect that it is this that lies behind the desire to ban the burka: we are insecure about our own religion and its apparent decline.  I share this concern but the answer is simple: Christians need to get out more- and preach the Gospel.