Latest news with #facecoverings
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
What is a burka and what are the rules around wearing one in the UK?
Employers should be able to decide if their staff can wear burkas in the workplace, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said, amid a debate on the face coverings and whether they should be banned in the UK. The issue was brought up by Reform's newest MP Sarah Pochin, who asked Sir Keir Starmer during Prime Minister's Questions whether he would support such a ban. Starmer said he would not "follow her down that line", but the question has sparked what Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said is 'a national discussion'. A burka is a veil worn by some Muslim women that covers the face and body, often leaving just a mesh screen to see through. Other face coverings include the niqab, which leaves the area around the eyes clear, while the term hijab refers more general to headscarves that cover the head and neck but leave the face clear. Badenoch said her view is that people who come to her constituency surgeries must remove their face coverings 'whether it's a burka or a balaclava'. The Telegraph asked me about Burqa Bans.I don't like these sorts of face coverings in fact I won't hold my constituency surgeries with people in face coverings….but burqa bans won't fix the problem of cultural separatism. There are better in my response below👇 — Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) June 8, 2025 She shared a segment of an interview with the Telegraph via X, in which she said: 'I personally have strong views about face coverings. If you come into my constituency surgery, you have to remove your face covering, whether it's a burka or a balaclava. I'm not talking to people who are not going to show me their face. 'Organisations should be able to decide what their staff wear for instance, it shouldn't be something that people should be able to override.' Her comment on the post said: "I don't like these sorts of face coverings in fact I won't hold my constituency surgeries with people in face coverings….but burqa bans won't fix the problem of cultural separatism. There are better ways." Yahoo News look at what a burka is and what the rules are around wearing them. There are various different headscarves worn by Muslim women as a sign of modesty, with different names referring to different styles. The burka is the most concealing and is a one-piece veil that covers the face and body, often leaving a mesh screen to see through. A niqab is a veil for the face that leaves the area around the eyes clear, and is worn with a headscard. Hijab is used to describe headscarves in general, with the most common type in the West covering the head and neck but leaving the face clear. Other face coverings include a shayla, chador, khimar and an al-amira, all of which are different and cover the face and head in different ways. Islamic dress is not banned in the UK, but schools and employers are allowed to set their own rules around dress code. However, an organisation would have to demonstrate its ban is "proportionate" and for a "legitimate aim" or it could face a legal challenge on the grounds of discrimination under equality and human rights laws. Several countries have restrictions in place on where the burka or niqab can be worn. France banned the wearing of veils intended to conceal the face in public in 2010, with similar bans in place in countries including Denmark, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland. When she asked her question in PMQs, Pochin cited other countries, saying: "Given the prime minister's desire to strengthen strategic alignment with our European neighbours, will he - in the interests of public safety - follow the lead of France, Denmark, Belgium and others, and ban the burqa?" Banning the burka was not part of Reform UK's policies at last year's general election. But asked about the issue on Sunday, the party's deputy leader Richard Tice said: 'We've triggered a national discussion. I'm very concerned about them (burkas). 'Frankly, I think they are repressive. I think that they make women second-class citizens. 'We're a Christian nation. We have equality between the sexes, and I'm very concerned, and if someone wants to convince me otherwise, well come and talk to me. 'But at the moment, my view is that I think we should follow seven other nations across Europe that have already banned them.' He called for a debate on the topic to 'hear where the country's mood is'. Meanwhile, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said 'employers should be allowed to decide whether their employees can be visible or not', when discussing face coverings. Asked on the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme if the Conservative Party's position is not to speak to people who cover their face, Philp said of Badenoch: 'Well she was talking specifically about her constituency surgery I think, and it is definitely the case that employers should be allowed to decide whether their employees can be visible or not. 'But I don't think this is necessarily the biggest issue facing our country right now. 'There's a legitimate debate to have about the burka. You've got, obviously, arguments about personal liberty and choice and freedom on one side, and arguments about causing divisions in society and the possibility of coercion on the other. 'That is a debate I think we as a country should be having, but as Kemi said, it's probably not the biggest issue our nation faces today.' Women should not be veiling their faces in Western society (Telegraph) Reform UK chairman quits after calling question from party's newest MP 'dumb' (PA Media) New Reform UK MP Stuns The Commons With Outrageous Request In PMQs (HuffPost)
BreakingNews.ie
2 days ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Badenoch says organisations should be able to decide if staff can wear burkas
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said employers should be able to decide if their staff can wear burkas in the workplace. Mrs Badenoch also said people who come to her constituency surgeries must remove their face coverings 'whether it's a burka or a balaclava'. Advertisement Ms Badenoch posted a video on X of part of her interview with the Telegraph, in which she said: 'My view is that people should be allowed to wear whatever they want, not what their husband is asking them to wear or what their community says that they should wear. 'I personally have strong views about face coverings. 'If you come into my constituency surgery, you have to remove your face covering, whether it's a burka or a balaclava. 'I'm not talking to people who are not going to show me their face. Advertisement 'Organisations should be able to decide what their staff wear for instance, it shouldn't be something that people should be able to override.' She added that France has a ban and has 'worse problems than we do in this country on integration'. On Wednesday, Reform's newest MP Sarah Pochin asked Sir Keir Starmer during Prime Minister's Questions whether he would support such a ban. Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said his party has 'triggered a national discussion'. Advertisement Asked if he wants to ban burkas, Mr Tice told GB News on Sunday: 'We've triggered a national discussion. I'm very concerned about them (burkas). 'Frankly, I think they are repressive. I think that they make women second-class citizens. 'We're a Christian nation. We have equality between the sexes, and I'm very concerned, and if someone wants to convince me otherwise, well come and talk to me. 'But at the moment, my view is that I think we should follow seven other nations across Europe that have already banned them.' Advertisement He called for a debate on the topic to 'hear where the country's mood is'. Meanwhile, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said 'employers should be allowed to decide whether their employees can be visible or not', when discussing face coverings. Asked on the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme if the Conservative Party's position is not to speak to people who cover their face, Mr Philp said of Mrs Badenoch: 'Well she was talking specifically about her constituency surgery I think, and it is definitely the case that employers should be allowed to decide whether their employees can be visible or not. 'But I don't think this is necessarily the biggest issue facing our country right now. Advertisement 'There's a legitimate debate to have about the burka. 'You've got, obviously, arguments about personal liberty and choice and freedom on one side, and arguments about causing divisions in society and the possibility of coercion on the other. 'That is a debate I think we as a country should be having, but as Kemi said, it's probably not the biggest issue our nation faces today.' Asked if he would talk to people who would not show their face, the Croydon South MP said: 'I have in the past spoken to people obviously wearing a burka – I represent a London constituency – but everybody can make their own choices, that's the point she was making, each employer should be able to make their own choices.'
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Kemi Badenoch says she refuses to speak to women in burqas at constituency surgeries
LONDON: The leader of the UK's Conservative Party Kemi Badenoch has said she asks women to remove face coverings, including burqas, before speaking with them at constituency surgeries, and believes employers should be allowed to ban staff from wearing the garment. In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Badenoch said she supported the right of individuals to wear what they liked, but drew a line at face coverings in certain settings. 'If you come into my constituency surgery, you have to remove your face covering, whether it's a burqa or a balaclava,' she said. 'I'm not talking to people who are not going to show me their face.' Her comments follow renewed debate over the issue after Reform UK's new member of Parliament, Sarah Pochin, urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to consider a burqa ban similar to those in countries such as France. Party leader Nigel Farage also backed the call, prompting a backlash from Muslim groups and some within his own party. Reform's chairman, Zia Yusuf, briefly resigned after the row, citing exhaustion and racist abuse, but has since returned. He told The Sunday Times he might support a ban in principle, but said other issues were more urgent. Yusuf is expected to take on a number of roles within the party, including overseeing local council spending. Badenoch linked the issue of face coverings to broader concerns over integration, pointing to Shariah courts and cousin marriages as 'more insidious' challenges. 'People should be allowed to wear whatever they want, not what their husband or community tells them to wear,' she said. She also backed the right of organizations to set their own dress codes, saying: 'It shouldn't be something that people should be able to override.' While employers can impose dress policies, they must meet legal tests of proportionality and legitimacy under equality and human rights law. Restrictions may be justified on grounds such as health and safety, or the need for clear communication. The debate echoes comments made in 2006 by then-Labour home secretary Jack Straw, who said he asked women visiting his surgery to remove the burqa to enable more meaningful conversation.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Kemi Badenoch says employers should be able to ban burqas in the workplace
Employers should be able to ban burqas in the workplace, Kemi Badenoch has argued, further inflaming the row over the issue ignited by Reform UK last week. The Conservative leader also claimed she wouldn't let people into her constituency surgeries if they wore face veils, saying she has 'strong views about face coverings'. However, she argued there were bigger issues around integration in Britain that should be addressed before legislating on face coverings. It comes after a row over calls to ban the burqa triggered a spat within Reform UK, and led to party chairman Zia Yusuf quitting his role and then returning to party leadership less than 48 hours later. 'If you were to ask me where you start with integration – sharia courts, all of this nonsense sectarianism, things like first-cousin marriage – there's a whole heap of stuff that is far more insidious and that breeds more problems', she told The Telegraph. 'My view is that people should be allowed to wear whatever they want, not what their husband is asking them to wear or what their community says that they should wear... 'If you come into my constituency surgery, you have to remove your face covering, whether it's a burka or a balaclava. 'I'm not talking to people who are not going to show me their face, and I also believe that other people should have that control. Organisations should be able to decide what their staff wear; it shouldn't be something that people should be able to override.' But Mrs Badenoch added: 'France has a ban and they have worse problems than we do in this country on integration. So banning the burka clearly is not the thing that's going to fix things.' Mr Yusuf announced plans to quit as chairman after describing the party's newest MP Sarah Pochin – who won last month's Runcorn and Helsby by-election– as 'dumb' after she challenged Sir Keir Starmer over the legality of women wearing the burqa in the UK during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday. In a statement, Mr Yusuf – who is a practicing Muslim - said he no longer believes 'working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time'. But speaking to The Times on Saturday alongside Mr Farage, Mr Yusuf said his decision to quit was an 'error'. 'When I pushed that tweet out it was a coming together of a bit of exhaustion and a feeling that all I got in return for it was abuse', he said. 'I was doing so many things, in the foreground and in the background. Anybody who has been part of a high-growth start-up outside of politics will sympathise and empathise with that. 'What has happened since then is that I've been inundated with messages from Reform members and supporters, who were saying they were devastated and heartbroken and asking me to really reconsider my decision.' The ex-chairman also clarified that he 'did not resign because I have any strong views about the burqa itself.' But he admitted that he felt blindsided by Ms Pochin's decision to ask about a ban at PMQ's, saying it was an 'internal miscommunication issue'. While Mr Yusuf's formal title has not been decided, he is expected to lead Reform's Elon Musk-inspired Doge unit, modelled on the Department of Government Efficiency set up by Donald Trump in the US. Reform's Doge UK team was set up to identify spending cuts in councils the party now controls and was formally launched this week. Mr Yusuf will also oversee some aspects of policymaking, fundraising and media appearances for the party. A new party chair is expected to be appointed next week and a deputy chair will be hired too.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Badenoch says organisations should be able to decide if staff can wear burkas
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said employers should be able to decide if their staff can wear burkas in the workplace. Mrs Badenoch also said people who come to her constituency surgeries must remove their face coverings 'whether it's a burka or a balaclava'. Ms Badenoch posted a video on X of part of her interview with the Telegraph, in which she said: 'My view is that people should be allowed to wear whatever they want, not what their husband is asking them to wear or what their community says that they should wear. 'I personally have strong views about face coverings. 'If you come into my constituency surgery, you have to remove your face covering, whether it's a burka or a balaclava. 'I'm not talking to people who are not going to show me their face. 'Organisations should be able to decide what their staff wear for instance, it shouldn't be something that people should be able to override.' She added that France has a ban and has 'worse problems than we do in this country on integration'. On Wednesday, Reform's newest MP Sarah Pochin asked Sir Keir Starmer during Prime Minister's Questions whether he would support such a ban. Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said his party has 'triggered a national discussion'. Asked if he wants to ban burkas, Mr Tice told GB News on Sunday: 'We've triggered a national discussion. I'm very concerned about them (burkas). 'Frankly, I think they are repressive. I think that they make women second-class citizens. 'We're a Christian nation. We have equality between the sexes, and I'm very concerned, and if someone wants to convince me otherwise, well come and talk to me. 'But at the moment, my view is that I think we should follow seven other nations across Europe that have already banned them.' He called for a debate on the topic to 'hear where the country's mood is'. Meanwhile, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said 'employers should be allowed to decide whether their employees can be visible or not', when discussing face coverings. Asked on the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme if the Conservative Party's position is not to speak to people who cover their face, Mr Philp said of Mrs Badenoch: 'Well she was talking specifically about her constituency surgery I think, and it is definitely the case that employers should be allowed to decide whether their employees can be visible or not. 'But I don't think this is necessarily the biggest issue facing our country right now. 'There's a legitimate debate to have about the burka. 'You've got, obviously, arguments about personal liberty and choice and freedom on one side, and arguments about causing divisions in society and the possibility of coercion on the other. 'That is a debate I think we as a country should be having, but as Kemi said, it's probably not the biggest issue our nation faces today.' Asked if he would talk to people who would not show their face, the Croydon South MP said: 'I have in the past spoken to people obviously wearing a burka – I represent a London constituency – but everybody can make their own choices, that's the point she was making, each employer should be able to make their own choices.'
