Reaction to Straw's plea on veils

Mr Straw, the MP for Blackburn and Leader of the Commons, has urged the niqab-wearing burqa-clad women who cover their faces to leave only their eyes visible to uncover their faces when he meets them at his constituency surgeries.

According to stereotypes, women are oppressed into donning these garments but many people in Bradford disagree.

Ashar Ehsan, head of corporate communications at the University of Bradford, said Mr Straw's comments had come at a particularly sensitive time for Britain's Muslim population.

He said: "I do not think members of his community wearing a niqab are creating barriers for themselves and I know of some women who wear a niqab and participate fully in society and lead professional lives."

The married father-of-three added: "My mother has never worn a veil and I have been brought up to respect the opposite sex and their right to express their religion in whichever way they choose.

"I have two daughters and a wife who do not wear the veil but that is their personal choice."

Salima Hafejee, director of Bradford Youth Development Partnership, said: "Jack Straw's comments are not valid because when you initially make contact with someone you connect with their eyes.

"Muslim women who choose to wear the burqa are making a personal choice.

"He should see it as a positive thing because there is an assumption that women in burqa are oppressed but they are coming to him for advice and are meeting him in his offices to take part in society."

Bradford Council leader and Conservative group leader Kris Hopkins said: "It is not the job of politicians to tell others how to dress.

"Diversity is our nation's greatest strength; Mr Straw should take pride in this, rather than raise questions that are neither valid nor appropriate."

But Nuzhat Ali, who wears a hijab, backed the former Foreign Secretary.

Mrs Ali, who runs a home-schooling service at her home in Allerton, said: "As a Muslim woman I find it difficult to approach women in niqab and I would like to ask them why they are doing that.

"I do not disagree with Jack Straw.

"I feel he has started a debate that is needed within the Muslim community. This is an intellectual war and it can only be won by an intellectual debate."

Mrs Ali said the Koran only urged women to cover their head and bodies modestly.

She said: "The only point of the veil is that you are recognised as Muslim women and not molested."

Bary Malik, president of the Bradford Ahmadiya Muslim Association, said: "Unfortunately Muslim bashing has become a fashion and Jack Straw has joined the group.

"He could have said this in a different way but has created an atmosphere of fear among British people.

"I cannot understand how removing the veil can create integration.

"Just by issuing statements like this we are further playing into the hands of extremists on both sides."

Bradford MPs have come out in support of Mr Straw saying it is about "common cultures".

Conservative Shipley MP Philip Davies said Mr Straw has a right to ask people to remove headwear in his surgery.

He added: "It is a perfectly reasonable thing to do. If someone came in my surgery wearing a motorcycle helmet I would ask them to remove it.

"Mr Straw is right, seeing someone's face is a key way of communicating.

"Some people might not say this but it can be intimidating for some if people are wearing veils and it can be a barrier and what we need is more integration.

"Everyone is entitled to an opinion and Mr Straw should be allowed to say what he wants."

Keighley MP Ann Cryer said: "Nowhere in the Koran does it say a veil needs to be worn but it says men and women should dress in a modest fashion.

"I am in favour of the thousands of young Muslim girls living in Keighley who are happy not to wear them. I do not want them coerced into doing so.

"At the same time I am happy for others to carry on wearing the veils, although if they come to see me I would like them to remove the veil."

Labour's Bradford North MP Terry Rooney said Mr Straw made no demands and did not understand why people would bring the subject up.

He said: "He was not telling anyone to do anything but asking them," he said. "If the women did not want to then that would have been fine with him.

"The way his comments are being reported causes division and people are making a mountain out of a molehill - you cannot get into certain places if you are wearing a hoodie and no one says anything about that."

Skipton MP Conservative David Curry said Mr Straw's comments were fair and justified and there was a need for serious talks on multiculturalism.

He said: "If a Westerner was walking around Saudi Arabia in a bikini I expect people would be shocked and would hugely offend people. It is about common cultures.

"I am not suggesting Muslim women who wear the veils are not incorporating themselves with our liberalism but that there are ways of compromise that are acceptable to everyone.

"If you see someone wearing veils top to toe it could offend some people.

"But in the same way, young men drunk in the streets are equally outside the parameters."

About 30 per cent of residents in Mr Straw's constituency are Muslim.

Downing Street has said Mr Straw's comments are his personal views and are not Government policy.

e-mail: saima.mir@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

'My thoughts on the veil question'

This is the full transcript of Jack Straw's column which first appeared in the Lancashire Telegraph in Blackburn.

"It's really nice to meet you face-to-face, Mr Straw," said this pleasant lady, in a broad Lancashire accent.

She had come to my constituency advice bureau with a problem.

I smiled back. The chance would be a fine thing,' I thought to myself but did not say out loud.

The lady was wearing the full veil. Her eyes were uncovered but the rest of her face was in cloth.

Her husband, a professional man whom I vaguely knew, was with her. She did most of the talking. I got down the detail of the problem, told the lady and her husband that I thought I could sort it out, and we parted amicably.

All this was about a year ago. It was not the first time I had conducted an interview with someone in a full veil, but this particular encounter, though very polite and respectful on both sides, got me thinking.

In part, this was because of the apparent incongruity between the signals which indicate common bonds - the entirely English accent, the couple's education (wholly in the UK) - and the fact of the veil.

Above all, it was because I felt uncomfortable about talking to someone "face-to-face" who I could not see.

So I decided that I wouldn't just sit there the next time a lady turned up to see me in a full veil, and I haven't. Now, I always ensure that a female member of my staff is with me.

I explain that this is a country built on freedoms. I defend absolutely the right of any woman to wear a headscarf.

As for the full veil, wearing it breaks no laws.

I go on to say that I think, however, that the conversation would be of greater value if the lady took the covering from her face.

Indeed, the value of a meeting, as opposed to a letter or phone call, is so that you can - almost literally - see what the other person means, and not just hear what they say.

I thought it may be hard going when I made my request for face-to-face interviews in these circumstances.

However, I can't recall a single occasion when a lady has refused to lift her veil; most seem relieved I have asked.

Last Friday was a case in point. The veil came off almost as soon as I opened my mouth.

I dealt with the problems the lady had brought to me. We then had an interesting debate about veil wearing.

This contained some surprises. It became absolutely clear to me that the husband had played no part in her decision.

She had read books and thought about the issue. She felt more comfortable wearing the veil when out. People bothered her less.

OK, I said, but did she think that veil wearing was required by the Koran?

I was no expert, but many Muslim scholars said that the full veil was not obligatory at all.

And women as well as men went head-uncovered the whole time when in their Hajj - pilgrimage - in Mecca.

The husband chipped in to say that this matter was more cultural than religious'.

I said I would reflect on what the lady had said to me.

Would she, however, think hard about what I said - in particular about my concern that wearing the full veil was bound to make better, positive relations between the two communities more difficult.

It was such a visible statement of separation and of difference.

I thought a lot before raising this matter a year ago, and still more before writing this. But if not me, who?

My concerns could be misplaced. But I think there is an issue here.