Sunday 25 July 2010

Loathsome Tory MP warned over requests to remove face veils

A Conservative MP has been warned he could face legal action if he refuses to meet constituents who wear burkas or niqabs, which hide their faces. Lawyers for pressure group Liberty have written to Philip 'Toad' Hollobone stating the Equality Act obliges him to avoid discrimination. The Kettering MP said he needed to meet voters face-to-face. He added he would invite those who did not remove their veil to communicate in a different way, such as by letter. 

He's got a fucking nerve with a face like that

Mr Hollobone was unavailable for comment when the BBC attempted to contact him. He is trying to bring in a Private Member's Bill to ban women wearing the burka or niqab in public. A similar rule has been introduced in France. His comments were criticised by Muslim groups, and the idea of a ban has been dismissed by government ministers as "un-British" and unhelpful to women. Immigration minister Damian Green has said banning the full Islamic veil in public would be "at odds with the UK's tolerant society" as he crossed his fingers behind his back.

Liberty has now offered to represent any woman wishing to make a legal challenge against Mr Hollobone if she is refused a meeting with him because of her veil. In its letter to Mr Hollobone, Liberty said it "will be happy to represent any of your constituents that you refuse to meet because they are veiled". James Welch, legal director for Liberty, added: "We have written to Mr Hollobone to advise him of the law as enacted by Parliament and feel confident that no well-advised Honourable Member would seek to breach it by meeting with constituents on a discriminatory basis."