A proposal to ban the niqab is also supported by a majority of respondents, but hijab is not as controversial.
As lawmakers in France openly recommend a ban on full veils, people in Britain believe that garments that cover the face should also be outlawed in the United Kingdom, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.
The online survey of a representative national sample of 2,001 British adults showed respondents pictures of three different garments—the burqa, the niqab and the hijab—and asked whether their use should be forbidden in the UK under three specific scenarios.
Burqa
The burqa is an outer garment worn by some Muslim women that is meant to conceal the entire body. In addition to a full veil, the burqa usually features a net that covers the eyes.
More than 70 per cent of respondents would agree with banning the burqa in public places (72%), at schools and universities (79%) and at airports.
Niqab
The niqab is also meant to conceal the entire body and also features a full veil, but differs from the burqa because the eyes are usually exposed.
Two thirds of Britons (66%) would ban the niqab in public places, while higher proportions would forbid the use of the garment at schools and universities (75%) and airports (85%).
Hijab
The hijab is a type of head scarf that usually exposes the entire face. A majority of respondents believe the hijab should not be banned at airports (63%), schools and universities (69%) or in public places (75%).
Mixed Signals
While two thirds of Britons (67%) believe that garments that conceal a woman’s face are an affront to British values, a majority of respondents (58%) claim the Government should not be allowed to tell individuals what they can and cannot wear.
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CONTACT:
Andy Morris, Research Director, London
+ 44-203-178-3952
andy.morris@angus-reid.com
If any decision were taken to ban the Burqa/Niqab/Hijab in Britain, the location mechanism already exists.
Simply append it to the Smoking Ban – that way, a ban would be achieved in every enclosed public space, without the argumentative process of debating different building or business types.
As a beneficial by-product, this approach may lead to the relaxation of the iniquitous Smoking Ban, with beneficial effects for another, even larger, oppressed minority.
David
I see the burqa as a direct insult to British values and British customs.We take people at face value,literally.
It’s obviously something no British woman would wear, but given our tolerance of foreigners and their funny little ways, it would seem equally unBritish to ban it by decree.
Given its religious significance for Muslims, a total ban would also be counter-productive in the field of community relationships.
The answer, then, is its gradual disappearance as a long-term result of reasoned discussion about its real value to the observance of worship in a Western environment.
This leaves the question of its banning in schools and, particularly, airports. Schools should be left to make their own rules about this as with other school uniforms. But in cases involving questions of security, the various forms of concealment obviously invite misuse.
Perhaps, therefore, the best precaution would be to make flights conditional on a comprehensive pre-boarding search by another security-cleared Muslim woman. Any woman unwilling to submit to that could then be told to go by sea!
After all, plenty of Muslims have always gone by sea to Mecca for the Haj. They’d probably enjoy it.
fine spitters aswell
I would most certainly ban it from anyone driving a car ~ just watch “muslim Driving School” ~ how dangerous is that ?
I love, support and will vote UKIP at the next general election, but we have to part on this issue. I love British values, but I love freedom even more. I dont care if someone wants to walk around in a burqa, a niqab, a superman outfit, or wear a plastic bag over there head.
More freedom, less regulation!
A couple of points Richard, the burqa is a cultural, not relious, garment used to keep windblown sand out of eyes, ears, nose and mouth in the desert.
Women do not cover their faces during the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca.
Woman should wear what they want – anything EXCEPT the Burqa!
The erosion in the British and more especially English way of life over the past 50 years is a sad legacy of continued incompetent, out of touch governments, outside EU interference. I am no longer proud to be British because I don’t understand what it stands for anymore and i do not mean this on a racial aspect I have many, many friends with different ethnic backgrounds. AND now that Cadbury’s have gone what do we have left!!!
I am not a racist however, correct me if I am wrong but I thought that this was Britain and a Christian country and not Saudi and a Moslem state. Wherever we go in the World we must observe the rules, regulations and customs of that country. Surely it should be the same for people from other lands who come to visit or to live here in Britain.
As for the Burqa and the Niqab neither of which have any religious significance, unfortunately both of these items mask the personal identification of an individual and are therefore undesirable. Irrespective of their cultural or traditional uses, it does remain a fact that the wearer wears this costume voluntarily and as such are completely out of place in this country. With regard to the Hijab, as long as the full facial characteristics of an individual can be seen I have no problem with it. I think that the Sikhs have a much stronger case with the Kirpan which they see as an important religious object very much in they way that a Christian might think of a crucuifix. The essential difference being that a Kirpan is clearly a knife and has an implicit threat in it’s very nature, and a crucifix is not. The Law bans the carrying of knives of any type for very good reasons, and because of this I do think that the Kirpan should not be carried anywhere in public.
What is the significance of covering your face, certainly not in the classroom, at lectures and most importantly at airports given the jihad of terrorism. These artefacts should be completely banned. I admire the French President for his stance on this. We already know how criminals fleeing justice have used the niqab to escape. The question is, Would The house of Saudi give you a grant to build a church in their homeland?
I respect all different people and their religious beliefs. But on saying that, we in Britain have our heritage and I think we are in danger of losing it. If foreign people want to come and live here, they should respect our way of living,our heritage and live by our laws.
If women want to cover up, that is fine but with all the terrorism going on, I do not think that they should completely cover up in public places, it could be anyone, man or woman underneath the garments. We as a British Nation are quite tolerant but tolerance can be carried too far.
Also if people want to come here to live and work, they should learn our language first, not expect schools and workplaces to have to change to their languages.
If we go over to their countries, we have to respect their laws so vice versa.
I think it is right to ban the burqa in this country. It is hard for people to understand what the women are saying to them and it is a little disconcerting to be presented with only a pair of eyes as you walk down the street.
not too long ago i had to visit somebody in prison. i was disgusted to see women with small children and babies made to stand out in the cold so that an asian lady could remove her Burqa for a standard security “mug shot”. Why do we have to do this in our own country…..ethnicity in the UK is an absolute JOKE!