Tory MP seeks ban on 8216;burqa8217;

An MP belonging to UK's ruling coalition has moved legislation in the House of Commons to ban the 'burqa' in public places.

An MP belonging to UK8217;s ruling coalition has moved legislation in the House of Commons to ban the 8216;burqa8217; or Islamic veil in public places on the ground that it is 8216;against the British way of life8217;.

Philip Hollobone,the Conservative MP from Kettering,has moved a private members bill called the Face Coverings Regulation Bill,which had its first reading in the House yesterday.

The legislation seeks to regulate the use of 8220;certain facial coverings8221; in public. He said this 8220;would obviously have a big impact for those who wear full-face Islamic veils8221;.

He has previously described the 8216;burqa8217; as being 8220;against the British way of life8221;. Explaining the bill,Hollobone said: 8220;I think it8217;s inappropriate to cover your face in public,whether it8217;s a burka,a balaclava or anything else.

8220;We are never going to get along with having a fully integrated society if a substantial minority insists on concealing their identity from everyone else.8221;

Hollobone has previously described the burka,which covers the entire head,as 8220;offensive8221; and 8220;against the British way of life8221;,saying that wearing one was the religious equivalent of 8220;going round with a paper bag over your head8221;.

After the bill8217;s reading,it will be printed in parliamentary papers but because Hollobone was only drawn 17th in the ballot,it stands little chance of progress.

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During a debate on International Women8217;s Day in March,Hollobone said: 8220;In my view and that of my constituents,the niqab and the burqa are oppressive dress codes that are regressive as regards the advancement of women in our society8221;.

He added: 8220;The simple truth is that when a woman wears the burqa,she is unable to engage in normal,everyday visual interaction with everyone else. That is indeed the point of it. It is deliberately designed to prevent others from gazing on that person8217;s face.

The problem with that is that it goes against the British way of life.8221;

Hollobone said that many women were forced to wear the burqa by their husband or their family. The resulting lack of interaction meant that many were unable to speak or learn English and will never have any chance of becoming integrated into the British way of life,he added.

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He said: 8220;This is Britain; we are not a Muslim country. Covering one8217;s face in public is strange,and to many people it is intimidating and offensive.

I seriously think that a ban on wearing the niqab or the burqa in public should be considered.8221;