Anyone wanting the burka banned will be popular with the majority of people; even with some Muslims, particularly women, I would guess. The UK 'conservative' party is not popular. They should get rid of that stupid woman and see if Boris can bring them back to what they are supposed to be - not just an imitation of the Left, like the wet Turnbull government here. There will a lot of informal votes in both our countries at the next election. Conservatives simply have nobody to vote for.

Binoy,

BoJo is right on both counts:

* the nikab shouldn't be banned: women should be able to wear whatever they like, within the limits of decency (not that I'm opposed to less decent dress, especially in summer); women should have the same freedoms as men not to wear clothing which symbolises their oppression, and to wear whatever they're comfortable with; I think women wearing the hijab can certainly be quite attractive - different styles, different ornamentation, probably help people to identify each other in terms of where they are from;

* women wearing the nikab do look like walking letter-boxes.

[My smart-arse computer kept typing 'hijab' when i typed 'nikab'.]

I can appreciate that many women are so strikingly beautiful that they get sick and tired of getting perved on by people like me, so a nikab may give them some relief from my unwanted male gaze. Fair enough.

Joe

Banning Boris Johnson is a far greater priority than banning the burka. Johnson represents the hazard to normal decency, the modern politician has become to society. Banning homosexuals and gay marriage is actually relevant.

Johnson is without a shadow of a doubt a power junkie and not a very bright one, given he would wreck a once great party, most of a barely recovering economy and further divide an already divided union to get it?

And like born to rule politicians of the extreme right everywhere, plays to the most intellectually challenged with counterproductive divisive populism, to get it?

There is a case for asking for a burqa to b removed for security reasons but otherwise what a woman or a man chooses to wear is nobody's business but theirs! Even just a jock strap and garters!

Now there a religious dress that would go down well in some quarters? Haha.

And where Dad alive, would comment, you see the strangest sight when you don't have a gun.

Never understood what he meant by that, except he had his own brand of Celtic humour?

Political parties need team players and folks able to use the brains they were born with rather than clowns like Boris who always plays to the lowest common denominator! (Jawhol mine fuhrer und seig heil)

In a truly unified party, the cream always rises to the top and where leaders are chosen on deserved merit, rather than extremism and divisive machiavellian machinations!

I think ve should all stand and click zee heels ven he enters zee room? Maybe he would then get zee message and take a good long hard look at himself and his naked blind ambition!?
Alan B.

Binoy,
when I came into the workforce in the 1950s every bank teller had a revolver under the counter and was expected to cock it and point it at any person who walked into the bank with face covered.Even tellers were expected to show some guts in those days. In Sydney the top of the commonwealth Bank building in Martin Place was a gallery where they could practice shooting.

A custom or culture involving people walking around with face covered, male or female, is an obvious free handout to violent crims and no other justification is necessary for banning the burka.

People coming here with cultural habits which make it more difficult for a government to protect its citizens, as is its duty, should go somewhere else or abandon the culture which impedes the government in the execution of its paramount duty..

Diver Dan,

Did you notice that Boris is opposed to banning the burka/nikab ? He had some unkind words to say about it, but he isn't opposed to women wearing it.

But don't let that get in the way of accusing him of something he doesn't actually propose.

Joe