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| Debate needed on veils in some public places, says minister | Debate needed on veils in some public places, says minister |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The government should consider banning Muslim girls from wearing veils in public places such as schools, a Lib Dem Home Office minister has said. | |
| Jeremy Browne said he was "uneasy" about restricting freedoms, but urged a national debate on the state's role in stopping veils being imposed on girls. | Jeremy Browne said he was "uneasy" about restricting freedoms, but urged a national debate on the state's role in stopping veils being imposed on girls. |
| It comes after Birmingham Metropolitan College dropped a ban on pupils wearing full-face veils, amid protests. | It comes after Birmingham Metropolitan College dropped a ban on pupils wearing full-face veils, amid protests. |
| A Muslim group said it was "disgusted" by the minister's call. | |
| Mr Browne spoke as his party leader, Nick Clegg, prepared to speak at the Lib Dem conference in Glasgow in favour of a motion backing the coalition's fiscal strategy. | Mr Browne spoke as his party leader, Nick Clegg, prepared to speak at the Lib Dem conference in Glasgow in favour of a motion backing the coalition's fiscal strategy. |
| But his deputy, Business Secretary Vince Cable, will not take part in the debate, prompting suggestions of tensions between the two men. | But his deputy, Business Secretary Vince Cable, will not take part in the debate, prompting suggestions of tensions between the two men. |
| 'Very cautious' | 'Very cautious' |
| In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Mr Browne suggested action might be needed to protect the freedom of choice for Muslim girls too young to decide for themselves whether they wanted to wear the veil. | In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Mr Browne suggested action might be needed to protect the freedom of choice for Muslim girls too young to decide for themselves whether they wanted to wear the veil. |
| "I think this is a good topic for national debate. People of liberal instincts will have competing notions of how to protect and promote freedom of choice," he said. | "I think this is a good topic for national debate. People of liberal instincts will have competing notions of how to protect and promote freedom of choice," he said. |
| "I am instinctively uneasy about restricting the freedom of individuals to observe the religion of their choice. | "I am instinctively uneasy about restricting the freedom of individuals to observe the religion of their choice. |
| "But there is genuine debate about whether girls should feel a compulsion to wear a veil when society deems children to be unable to express personal choices about other areas like buying alcohol, smoking or getting married." | "But there is genuine debate about whether girls should feel a compulsion to wear a veil when society deems children to be unable to express personal choices about other areas like buying alcohol, smoking or getting married." |
| He added: "We should be very cautious about imposing religious conformity on a society which has always valued freedom of expression." | He added: "We should be very cautious about imposing religious conformity on a society which has always valued freedom of expression." |
| It comes after the Birmingham college went back on its policy of telling pupils to remove hoodies, hats, caps and veils so students were easily identifiable. | It comes after the Birmingham college went back on its policy of telling pupils to remove hoodies, hats, caps and veils so students were easily identifiable. |
| Instead, it decided to modify its stance to allow individuals to wear "specific items of personal clothing to reflect their cultural values". | Instead, it decided to modify its stance to allow individuals to wear "specific items of personal clothing to reflect their cultural values". |
| Mr Clegg told BBC Breakfast he did not believe in issuing "edicts from Whitehall... telling people what pieces of clothing they should wear". | |
| He said he believed the wearing of full veils was "not appropriate" in the classroom, but would not support a "state ban" on doing so. | |
| The prime minister's spokesman said he supported schools setting their own uniform guidelines. | The prime minister's spokesman said he supported schools setting their own uniform guidelines. |
| 'Disgusted' | 'Disgusted' |
| Sarah Wollaston, the Conservative MP for Totnes, said it was time for politicians to provide national guidance on the subject. | Sarah Wollaston, the Conservative MP for Totnes, said it was time for politicians to provide national guidance on the subject. |
| She said it was reasonable for feminists to say it was offensive for girls and young women to have their faces covered in the classroom, adding: "So much of our communication comes though non-verbal communication." | She said it was reasonable for feminists to say it was offensive for girls and young women to have their faces covered in the classroom, adding: "So much of our communication comes though non-verbal communication." |
| But Mohammed Shafiq of the Ramadhan Foundation - a group that works with young Muslims in the UK and tries to foster better relations with non-Muslims - said he was "disgusted" by Mr Browne's call. | |
| "This is another example of the double standards that are applied to Muslims in our country by some politicians. | "This is another example of the double standards that are applied to Muslims in our country by some politicians. |
| "Whatever one's religion they should be free to practise it according to their own choices and any attempt by the government to ban Muslim women will be strongly resisted by the Muslim community." | "Whatever one's religion they should be free to practise it according to their own choices and any attempt by the government to ban Muslim women will be strongly resisted by the Muslim community." |
| Mohammed Khaliel, founder of Islamix, a group that aims to build understanding between communities, said: "A small section of the Muslim community do believe that the face veil is mandatory... | Mohammed Khaliel, founder of Islamix, a group that aims to build understanding between communities, said: "A small section of the Muslim community do believe that the face veil is mandatory... |
| "Now, why should I go and rip that off their face saying 'I don't think you should believe that'?" | "Now, why should I go and rip that off their face saying 'I don't think you should believe that'?" |
| The motion to be debated on Monday invites Lib Dem activists to "reaffirm support" for coalition plans to balance the government's books by 2017-18. | The motion to be debated on Monday invites Lib Dem activists to "reaffirm support" for coalition plans to balance the government's books by 2017-18. |
| The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Cable may not even vote for the motion, although party aides insisted he backed his leader's position. | The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Cable may not even vote for the motion, although party aides insisted he backed his leader's position. |
| However, Nick Robinson said Mr Cable believed Mr Clegg could instead reach a compromise with party activists who are calling for economic policy to be "re-balanced" away from solely focusing on fiscal constraint and more on spending to "raise employment and growth". | However, Nick Robinson said Mr Cable believed Mr Clegg could instead reach a compromise with party activists who are calling for economic policy to be "re-balanced" away from solely focusing on fiscal constraint and more on spending to "raise employment and growth". |