This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/aug/07/boris-johnsons-burqa-remarks-offensive-foreign-office-minister-alistair-burt
The article has changed 20 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Theresa May calls on Boris Johnson to say sorry for burqa remarks | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Theresa May has waded into the row over Boris Johnson’s claim that Muslim women in burqas resemble letter boxes and bank robbers, urging the former foreign secretary to apologise after he defied an order to do so by Tory chiefs. | Theresa May has waded into the row over Boris Johnson’s claim that Muslim women in burqas resemble letter boxes and bank robbers, urging the former foreign secretary to apologise after he defied an order to do so by Tory chiefs. |
| The prime minister said she agreed with the Conservative party chairman, Brandon Lewis, that Johnson should say sorry for his remarks, which she acknowledged had caused offence among the Muslim community. | The prime minister said she agreed with the Conservative party chairman, Brandon Lewis, that Johnson should say sorry for his remarks, which she acknowledged had caused offence among the Muslim community. |
| She urged people to be “very careful” about the language they used to discuss issues such as women wearing the burqa, but stopped short of saying Johnson should have the whip withdrawn for his remarks. | She urged people to be “very careful” about the language they used to discuss issues such as women wearing the burqa, but stopped short of saying Johnson should have the whip withdrawn for his remarks. |
| After a meeting with the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, May told reporters: “I am very clear and the government is very clear about our position on the issue of the burqa, which is that women should be able to choose how to dress. It’s up to a woman to decide how to dress, it’s not up to other people to tell a woman how to dress. | After a meeting with the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, May told reporters: “I am very clear and the government is very clear about our position on the issue of the burqa, which is that women should be able to choose how to dress. It’s up to a woman to decide how to dress, it’s not up to other people to tell a woman how to dress. |
| “It’s right that we have discussion about issues like this, but in doing that we all have to be very careful about the language and the terms that we use. Some of the terms that Boris used in describing people’s appearance obviously have offended people, and so I agree with Brandon Lewis.” | “It’s right that we have discussion about issues like this, but in doing that we all have to be very careful about the language and the terms that we use. Some of the terms that Boris used in describing people’s appearance obviously have offended people, and so I agree with Brandon Lewis.” |
| Johnson is understood to view the instruction to apologise as an attempt to shut down debate on a difficult issue that should be tackled head-on. | Johnson is understood to view the instruction to apologise as an attempt to shut down debate on a difficult issue that should be tackled head-on. |
| One source close to the former foreign secretary said: “It is ridiculous that these views are being attacked – we must not fall into the trap of shutting down the debate on difficult issues. | One source close to the former foreign secretary said: “It is ridiculous that these views are being attacked – we must not fall into the trap of shutting down the debate on difficult issues. |
| “We have to call it out. If we fail to speak up for liberal values then we are simply yielding ground to reactionaries and extremists.” | “We have to call it out. If we fail to speak up for liberal values then we are simply yielding ground to reactionaries and extremists.” |
| Lewis’s remarks came after Alistair Burt, the minister for the Middle East, who worked under Johnson, described the comments as offensive and said he would never have said anything similar. | Lewis’s remarks came after Alistair Burt, the minister for the Middle East, who worked under Johnson, described the comments as offensive and said he would never have said anything similar. |
| I agree with @AlistairBurtUK. I have asked @BorisJohnson to apologise. https://t.co/RFExXO4LOR | I agree with @AlistairBurtUK. I have asked @BorisJohnson to apologise. https://t.co/RFExXO4LOR |
| The former Conservative chairman Sayeeda Warsi has accused Johnson of “dog-whistle” Islamophobia and criticised the lack of action by the party on the issue. | The former Conservative chairman Sayeeda Warsi has accused Johnson of “dog-whistle” Islamophobia and criticised the lack of action by the party on the issue. |
| In June, Lewis said diversity training would be offered to all members, and local associations would report back on how complaints were handled. “A single case of abuse is one too many, and since becoming chairman I have taken a zero-tolerance approach,” he said. | In June, Lewis said diversity training would be offered to all members, and local associations would report back on how complaints were handled. “A single case of abuse is one too many, and since becoming chairman I have taken a zero-tolerance approach,” he said. |
| Johnson’s comments, in response to Denmark’s introduction of a ban on burqas in public places, prompted an angry reaction from Muslim organisations and MPs, who accused him of stoking Islamophobia for political gain. | Johnson’s comments, in response to Denmark’s introduction of a ban on burqas in public places, prompted an angry reaction from Muslim organisations and MPs, who accused him of stoking Islamophobia for political gain. |
| Earlier, Burt told the BBC: “What he was trying to make a serious point about is that the UK government will not enforce any kind of clothing restriction on anyone. I wish he hadn’t accompanied it with a comment that I certainly wouldn’t make and I think many people would find offensive, yes.” | Earlier, Burt told the BBC: “What he was trying to make a serious point about is that the UK government will not enforce any kind of clothing restriction on anyone. I wish he hadn’t accompanied it with a comment that I certainly wouldn’t make and I think many people would find offensive, yes.” |
| Fiyaz Mughal, the founder of Tell Mama, which campaigns against anti-Muslim violence, said Johnson’s comments amounted to Islamophobia. | Fiyaz Mughal, the founder of Tell Mama, which campaigns against anti-Muslim violence, said Johnson’s comments amounted to Islamophobia. |
| “These are the kind of comments we have seen that have been made by extremist far-right groups and people who have been maliciously attacking Muslims, so clearly it does fit that bracket,” he said. | “These are the kind of comments we have seen that have been made by extremist far-right groups and people who have been maliciously attacking Muslims, so clearly it does fit that bracket,” he said. |
| Mughal criticised the “sheer flippancy” of Johnson’s comments and Lewis for not doing more to tackle Islamophobia in the party. He suggested Muslims needed reassurance from Downing Street. | Mughal criticised the “sheer flippancy” of Johnson’s comments and Lewis for not doing more to tackle Islamophobia in the party. He suggested Muslims needed reassurance from Downing Street. |
| “That reassurance should be coming quickly and effectively,” he said. “It’s now 24 hours that have gone by, the message that members of the Muslim community get is their concerns are not taken into account.” | “That reassurance should be coming quickly and effectively,” he said. “It’s now 24 hours that have gone by, the message that members of the Muslim community get is their concerns are not taken into account.” |
| Lord Sheikh, the founder of the Conservative Muslim Forum, set up to encourage British Muslims to get involved in political life, said Johnson’s comments were “totally out of order”. | Lord Sheikh, the founder of the Conservative Muslim Forum, set up to encourage British Muslims to get involved in political life, said Johnson’s comments were “totally out of order”. |
| “It is not in good fun. It’s a joke but in very, very bad taste. A joke like this will harm the community relations,” he told BBC Radio 4’s World At One. | “It is not in good fun. It’s a joke but in very, very bad taste. A joke like this will harm the community relations,” he told BBC Radio 4’s World At One. |
| “I don’t know whether this is his agenda to get the leadership of the Conservative party. Is he using Muslims as a springboard?” | “I don’t know whether this is his agenda to get the leadership of the Conservative party. Is he using Muslims as a springboard?” |
| The shadow equalities minister, Naz Shah, said: “An apology isn’t good enough. Boris Johnson’s comments weren’t accidental, they were a calculated attack in a national newspaper, made weeks after he reportedly met with Steve Bannon. | The shadow equalities minister, Naz Shah, said: “An apology isn’t good enough. Boris Johnson’s comments weren’t accidental, they were a calculated attack in a national newspaper, made weeks after he reportedly met with Steve Bannon. |
| “Clearly the Tory party has an issue with Islamophobia, but over 24 hours later, the prime minister is still yet to say a word. Theresa May must condemn Boris Johnson’s comments unequivocally and order an inquiry into Islamophobia in her party.” | “Clearly the Tory party has an issue with Islamophobia, but over 24 hours later, the prime minister is still yet to say a word. Theresa May must condemn Boris Johnson’s comments unequivocally and order an inquiry into Islamophobia in her party.” |
| In a letter to Lewis on Monday, Shah accused Johnson of “ugly and naked Islamophobia” and said Lewis should abide by his word to give Tory members diversity training to combat Islamophobia. | In a letter to Lewis on Monday, Shah accused Johnson of “ugly and naked Islamophobia” and said Lewis should abide by his word to give Tory members diversity training to combat Islamophobia. |
| In his column for the Telegraph on Monday, Johnson said Muslim women wearing burqas looked like bank robbers and that schools and universities should be entitled to tell students to remove them. | In his column for the Telegraph on Monday, Johnson said Muslim women wearing burqas looked like bank robbers and that schools and universities should be entitled to tell students to remove them. |
| He said it was “absolutely ridiculous” that wearers should “go around looking like letter boxes”, and he would expect his constituents to remove them in his MP’s surgery. | He said it was “absolutely ridiculous” that wearers should “go around looking like letter boxes”, and he would expect his constituents to remove them in his MP’s surgery. |
| However, Johnson said he did not support a blanket ban on the face veil in the UK. “You risk turning people into martyrs, and you risk a general crackdown on any public symbols of religious affiliation, and you may simply make the problem worse,” he wrote. | However, Johnson said he did not support a blanket ban on the face veil in the UK. “You risk turning people into martyrs, and you risk a general crackdown on any public symbols of religious affiliation, and you may simply make the problem worse,” he wrote. |
| Johnson appeared not to have acknowledged the scale of anger caused by his language. He is understood to believe his article was a balanced piece simply pointing out that women should be free to wear the niqab if they choose, and the UK should not follow other countries in seeking a total ban. | Johnson appeared not to have acknowledged the scale of anger caused by his language. He is understood to believe his article was a balanced piece simply pointing out that women should be free to wear the niqab if they choose, and the UK should not follow other countries in seeking a total ban. |
| Denmark introduced a burqa ban last week, with fines of about 1,000 krone (£120), following similar moves in France, Austria and Belgium. | Denmark introduced a burqa ban last week, with fines of about 1,000 krone (£120), following similar moves in France, Austria and Belgium. |
| Boris Johnson | Boris Johnson |
| Conservatives | Conservatives |
| Islamic veil | Islamic veil |
| Islam | Islam |
| Religion | Religion |
| Scotland | |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |