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Boris Johnson's burqa remarks 'fan flames of Islamophobia', says MP Boris Johnson's burqa remarks 'fan flames of Islamophobia', says MP
(35 minutes later)
Boris Johnson is facing calls to apologise after he said Muslim women in burqas “look like letter boxes” with Labour demanding that Theresa May condemns “this blatant Islamophobia”. Boris Johnson is facing calls to apologise after he said Muslim women in burqas “look like letter boxes”, with Labour demanding that Theresa May condemns “this blatant Islamophobia”.
The former foreign secretary went on to compare Muslim women in burqas to bank robbers and rebellious teenagers, and said he would expect his constituents to remove face coverings when talking to him at his MP’s surgery, in an article he wrote for the Daily Telegraph on Monday.The former foreign secretary went on to compare Muslim women in burqas to bank robbers and rebellious teenagers, and said he would expect his constituents to remove face coverings when talking to him at his MP’s surgery, in an article he wrote for the Daily Telegraph on Monday.
His comments sparked an angry response from other politicians with Labour calling it “a calculated attack” as it urged Johnson to apologise. His comments sparked an angry response from other politicians with Labour urging Johnson to apologise.
“Boris Johnson’s latest racist insults cannot be laughed off, like they often are,” said Naz Shah, Labour’s shadow equalities minister. “Boris Johnson’s latest racist insults cannot be laughed off, like they often are,” said Naz Shah, Labour’s shadow equalities minister. “Saying Muslim women look like letterboxes, comparing them to bank robbers and describing Islam as a ‘problem’ was a calculated attack and published in a national newspaper.
“Saying Muslim women look like letterboxes, comparing them to bank robbers and describing Islam as a ‘problem’ was a calculated attack and published in a national newspaper.
“Theresa May must condemn this blatant Islamophobia and Boris Johnson must apologise.”“Theresa May must condemn this blatant Islamophobia and Boris Johnson must apologise.”
The Labour MP David Lammy branded Boris Johnson a “pound-shop Donald Trump” and accused him of “fanning the flames of Islamophobia” for political advantage. Labour MP David Lammy called Johnson a “pound-shop Donald Trump” and accused him of “fanning the flames of Islamophobia” for political advantage. He tweeted:
“Muslim women are having their burqas pulled off by thugs in our streets and Boris Johnson’s response is to mock them for ‘looking like letter boxes’,” tweeted Lammy. “Our pound-shop Donald Trump is fanning the flames of Islamophobia to propel his grubby electoral ambitions.” Muslim women are having their burkas pulled off by thugs in our streets & Boris Johnson's response is to mock them for "looking like letter boxes." Our pound-shop Donald Trump is fanning the flames of Islamophobia to propel his grubby electoral ambitions.https://t.co/51YTjIdT4x
Labour MP Jess Phillips said she would report Johnson to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, while the assistant secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, Miqdaad Versi, said Johnson was “pandering to the far-right”. The Labour MP Jess Phillips said she would report Johnson to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, while the assistant secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, Miqdaad Versi, said Johnson was “pandering to the far-right”.
The Labour MP Stella Creasy warned that Johnson was in danger of “going full Morrissey”, in reference to the singer who has been mired in controversy over comments on immigration. Creasy said her advice to Johnson was that “being a buffoon, not being a racist and misogynist, (is) more British”. Labour MP Stella Creasy tweeted:
Dear Tory leadership voters - one of the potential candidates thinks you want Bannon not Boris on the ballot paper. Make sure you tell him being a Buffoon not being a racist and misogynist more British and more your bag before he goes full morrissey… #21stcenturycalling https://t.co/3FfifuotUx
Johnson said he felt “fully entitled” to expect women to remove face coverings when talking to him at his MP’s surgery, and said schools and universities should be able to take the same approach if a student “turns up … looking like a bank robber”.Johnson said he felt “fully entitled” to expect women to remove face coverings when talking to him at his MP’s surgery, and said schools and universities should be able to take the same approach if a student “turns up … looking like a bank robber”.
In his column he wrote: “It is absolutely ridiculous that people should choose to go around looking like letter boxes; and I thoroughly dislike any attempt by any – invariably male – government to encourage such demonstrations of ‘modesty’.”In his column he wrote: “It is absolutely ridiculous that people should choose to go around looking like letter boxes; and I thoroughly dislike any attempt by any – invariably male – government to encourage such demonstrations of ‘modesty’.”
Businesses and government agencies should also be able to “enforce a dress code that enables their employees to interact with customers”, including by allowing them to see their faces, Johnson recommended. Businesses and government agencies should also be able to “enforce a dress code that enables their employees to interact with customers”, including by allowing them to see their faces, Johnson said.
Nonetheless, he recognised that a total ban on burqas and niqabs was “not the answer” and said: “I don’t propose we follow suit.” Denmark last week followed burqa ban’s in France, Austria and Belgium. Nonetheless, he recognised that a total ban on burqas and niqabs was “not the answer” and said: “I don’t propose we follow suit.” Denmark last week followed burqa bans in France, Austria and Belgium.
A fine of about €120 has already been imposed on a woman wearing wearing a full-face veil in a shopping centre in the town of Hørsholm, after another woman reportedly tried to tear it off. A fine of about €120 (£107) has already been imposed on a woman wearing wearing a full-face veil in a shopping centre in the town of Hørsholm, after another woman reportedly tried to pull it off.
Johnson has previously come under fire for his controversial remarks in the Daily Telegraph. In 2008 he referred to black people as “piccaninnies” – an offensive racial slur. In a column, he suggested that “the Queen has come to love the Commonwealth” because it supplied her “with regular cheering crowds of flag-waving piccaninnies”. Johnson has previously come under fire for his controversial remarks in the Daily Telegraph. In a 2008 column, he said “the Queen has come to love the Commonwealth” because it supplied her “with regular cheering crowds of flag-waving piccaninnies”.
David LammyDavid Lammy
Boris JohnsonBoris Johnson
IslamIslam
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