Britain joins debate over the burqa

David Sapsted, Foreign Correspondent

Last Updated: January 18. 2010 12:47AM UAE / January 17. 2010 8:47PM GMT


LONDON // A British political party has joined the growing clamour across Europe for the burqa to be banned in public places.

With France poised to become the first EU country to impose such a ban, the UK Independence Party (UKIP) is taking legal advice with the aim of including a commitment to outlaw the burqa and niqab in its manifesto for the general election, which must take place by spring.

Even the far-right British National Party has not proposed such a ban, except for schoolchildren. UKIP does not have any MPs in the House of Commons but achieved the second highest number of votes, behind the Conservatives, in last year’s European elections.

In November, Lord (Malcolm) Pearson took over leadership of the party. He has highlighted what he described as the “growing threat of Islamismâ€