Tory MP calls for veil to be banned in UK
Friday, March 12, 2010 
An MP has called for ministers to ban the wearing of burkas, branding it "offensive" and "against the British way of life".
Philip Hollobone, Conservative MP for Kettering, told the Commons: "This is Britain. We are not a Muslim country. Covering your face in public is strange, and to many people both intimidating and offensive. I seriously think that a ban on wearing the burka in public should be considered."
His call came in a debate on International Women's Day and follows previous comments by the MP that wearing a burka was like "going round with a paper bag over your head".
Today, Mr Hollobone said wearing the full-face burka was "oppressive and regressive" to the advancement of women in society.
He said it was not until he took his children to a park recently and saw a woman wearing one that it "came home how inappropriate and, frankly, offensive, it is for people to wear this apparel in the 21st century. In my view, and the view of my constituents, wearing the burka is not an acceptable form of dress and the banning of it should be seriously considered."
By wearing them, women were effectively saying they did not want "any normal human dialogue or interaction with anyone else", and "effectively saying our society is so objectionable ... we aren't even allowed to cast a glance upon them". He said: "It goes against the British way of life. If we all went around wearing burkas our country would be a very sad place."
Daily Telegraph, 12 March 2010
See also ENGAGE, 12 March 2010