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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Straw 'opposes all Muslim veils' | Straw 'opposes all Muslim veils' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Cabinet Minister Jack Straw has said he would prefer Muslim women not to wear veils at all. | Cabinet Minister Jack Straw has said he would prefer Muslim women not to wear veils at all. |
| The Commons leader said he did not want to be "prescriptive" but he believed that covering people's faces could make community relations more difficult. | The Commons leader said he did not want to be "prescriptive" but he believed that covering people's faces could make community relations more difficult. |
| Mr Straw has said he asks Muslim women at his Blackburn constituency surgeries if they would mind removing veils. | Mr Straw has said he asks Muslim women at his Blackburn constituency surgeries if they would mind removing veils. |
| Some Muslim women called his remarks insulting, but other Muslims said they understood his concerns. | Some Muslim women called his remarks insulting, but other Muslims said they understood his concerns. |
| Meeting strangers | Meeting strangers |
| Mr Straw is Labour MP for Blackburn, where about 30% of residents are Muslim. | Mr Straw is Labour MP for Blackburn, where about 30% of residents are Muslim. |
| He sparked controversy when he told his local paper he asked female constituents visiting his surgery if they would uncover their faces - something they had all so far agreed to do. | |
| Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme if he would rather the veils be discarded completely, Mr Straw replied: "Yes. It needs to be made clear I am not talking about being prescriptive but with all the caveats, yes, I would rather." | Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme if he would rather the veils be discarded completely, Mr Straw replied: "Yes. It needs to be made clear I am not talking about being prescriptive but with all the caveats, yes, I would rather." |
| Find out about different styles of Muslim headscarfIn graphics | Find out about different styles of Muslim headscarfIn graphics |
| Mr Straw explained the impact he thought veils could have in a society where watching facial expressions was important for contact between different people. | Mr Straw explained the impact he thought veils could have in a society where watching facial expressions was important for contact between different people. |
| "Communities are bound together partly by informal chance relations between strangers - people being able to acknowledge each other in the street or being able pass the time of day," he said. | "Communities are bound together partly by informal chance relations between strangers - people being able to acknowledge each other in the street or being able pass the time of day," he said. |
| "That's made more difficult if people are wearing a veil. That's just a fact of life. | "That's made more difficult if people are wearing a veil. That's just a fact of life. |
| "I understand the concerns but I hope, however, there can be a mature debate about this. | "I understand the concerns but I hope, however, there can be a mature debate about this. |
| "I come to this out of a profound commitment to equal rights for Muslim communities and an equal concern about adverse development about parallel communities." | "I come to this out of a profound commitment to equal rights for Muslim communities and an equal concern about adverse development about parallel communities." |
| 'Separateness' fears | 'Separateness' fears |
| Mr Straw, seen as a potential candidate for Labour's deputy leadership, stressed it was a choice for women and he was making a request and not a demand. | Mr Straw, seen as a potential candidate for Labour's deputy leadership, stressed it was a choice for women and he was making a request and not a demand. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY The right to wear whatever you want is a part of the liberty we all enjoy Simon W, King's Lynn, England Send us your comments Reaction to Straw remarks | HAVE YOUR SAY The right to wear whatever you want is a part of the liberty we all enjoy Simon W, King's Lynn, England Send us your comments Reaction to Straw remarks |
| "What I've been struck by when I've been talking to some of the ladies concerned is that they had not, I think, been fully aware of the potential in terms of community relations," he said. | "What I've been struck by when I've been talking to some of the ladies concerned is that they had not, I think, been fully aware of the potential in terms of community relations," he said. |
| "I mean, they'd thought of it just as a statement for themselves, in some cases they regard themselves as very religious - and I respect that - but as I say, I just wanted to put this issue on the table." | "I mean, they'd thought of it just as a statement for themselves, in some cases they regard themselves as very religious - and I respect that - but as I say, I just wanted to put this issue on the table." |
| He said he was worried the "implications of separateness" and the development of "parallel communities". | |
| Downing Street said Mr Straw was expressing a private opinion and Tony Blair thought it was reasonable to do so. | |
| 'Dangerous doctrine' | 'Dangerous doctrine' |
| Mr Straw's comments have provoked a mixed response from Muslim groups. | Mr Straw's comments have provoked a mixed response from Muslim groups. |
| The Islamic Human Rights Commission labelled the article "astonishing" and accused Mr Straw of discrimination. | The Islamic Human Rights Commission labelled the article "astonishing" and accused Mr Straw of discrimination. |
| The Protect-Hijab organisation said the "appalling" comments showed "a deep lack of understanding". | The Protect-Hijab organisation said the "appalling" comments showed "a deep lack of understanding". |
| But Dr Daud Abdullah, of the Muslim Council of Britain, said he could understand Mr Straw's discomfort adding that women could choose to remove the veil. | But Dr Daud Abdullah, of the Muslim Council of Britain, said he could understand Mr Straw's discomfort adding that women could choose to remove the veil. |
| Conservative policy director Oliver Letwin said it would be "dangerous doctrine" to tell people how to dress. | |
| "If a person is making a statement about how they want to dress, I think it's pretty important we live in a country where you're allowed to do that," he said. | "If a person is making a statement about how they want to dress, I think it's pretty important we live in a country where you're allowed to do that," he said. |
| And Liberal Democrat president Simon Hughes accused Mr Straw of being insensitive. | |
| "The experience of visiting their MP is difficult enough for many people without having to consider a dress code," said Mr Hughes. | |
| Muslim Labour MP Shahid Malik applauded Mr Straw for being honest and said he was entitled to make his request as long as he respected the decision of people who refused the request. | |
| Mr Malik said the remarks came on the trail of other media stories about Muslims and he appealed for calm. | |
| "The problem is not necessarily what Jack is saying but the climate in which he's saying it," he said. |