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Blair defends Straw veil comments Blair defends Straw veil comments
(about 1 hour later)
Prime Minister Tony Blair has told the BBC Jack Straw's decision to open a debate about Muslim women wearing full face veils was "perfectly sensible".Prime Minister Tony Blair has told the BBC Jack Straw's decision to open a debate about Muslim women wearing full face veils was "perfectly sensible".
Mr Straw suggested wearing full face veils could harm community relations.Mr Straw suggested wearing full face veils could harm community relations.
Mr Blair said the Commons leader had raised the issue in a "measured and considered" way, and cautioned against people getting "hysterical" about it.Mr Blair said the Commons leader had raised the issue in a "measured and considered" way, and cautioned against people getting "hysterical" about it.
Author Salman Rushdie backed Mr Straw, saying that veils "suck" as they were a symbol of the "limitation of women".Author Salman Rushdie backed Mr Straw, saying that veils "suck" as they were a symbol of the "limitation of women".
'Break down barriers''Break down barriers'
The subject arose after Mr Straw said last week that he now asked Muslim women to take off full veils at his constituency surgery.The subject arose after Mr Straw said last week that he now asked Muslim women to take off full veils at his constituency surgery.
Mr Blair said it was important to raise such issues "if we want to break down barriers" between people, cultures and religions.Mr Blair said it was important to raise such issues "if we want to break down barriers" between people, cultures and religions.
He stopped short of saying he would make the same request as Mr Straw, but said having a debate was important.He stopped short of saying he would make the same request as Mr Straw, but said having a debate was important.
"I think it's perfectly sensible if you raise it in a measured and considered way which he did, to have a proper public discussion about it," Mr Blair said."I think it's perfectly sensible if you raise it in a measured and considered way which he did, to have a proper public discussion about it," Mr Blair said.
"How do we make sure people integrate more, how do we make sure people aren't wanting to separate themselves out from the mainstream of society?""How do we make sure people integrate more, how do we make sure people aren't wanting to separate themselves out from the mainstream of society?"
Chancellor Gordon Brown also appeared to offer his support to Mr Straw, saying "he is not proposing new laws, he's proposing a debate about the cultural changes that are taking place in Great Britain". Chancellor Gordon Brown told the BBC he supported Mr Straw for opening up a debate on veils.
But he added that discussions should be about Britishness - teaching the English language, citizenship and British history
Mr Straw said last week he did not want to be "prescriptive" but he believed that covering people's faces could make community relations more difficult.Mr Straw said last week he did not want to be "prescriptive" but he believed that covering people's faces could make community relations more difficult.
He is Labour MP for Blackburn, where between 25% and 30% of residents are Muslim.He is Labour MP for Blackburn, where between 25% and 30% of residents are Muslim.
"Communities are bound together partly by informal chance relations between strangers - people being able to acknowledge each other in the street or being able to pass the time of day," he said."Communities are bound together partly by informal chance relations between strangers - people being able to acknowledge each other in the street or being able to pass the time of day," he said.
"That's made more difficult if people are wearing a veil. That's just a fact of life.""That's made more difficult if people are wearing a veil. That's just a fact of life."
Some Muslims called his remarks insulting but others said they understood his concerns.Some Muslims called his remarks insulting but others said they understood his concerns.
Mr Rushdie, who was once the subject of a fatwa by Ayatollah Khomeni of Iran over his novel The Satanic Verses, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he saw veils as removing power from women.Mr Rushdie, who was once the subject of a fatwa by Ayatollah Khomeni of Iran over his novel The Satanic Verses, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he saw veils as removing power from women.
Mr Straw "was expressing an important opinion which is that veils suck - which they do," the author added.Mr Straw "was expressing an important opinion which is that veils suck - which they do," the author added.
"Speaking as somebody with three sisters and a very largely female Muslim family, there is not a single woman I know in my family or in their friends who would have accepted the wearing of a veil."Speaking as somebody with three sisters and a very largely female Muslim family, there is not a single woman I know in my family or in their friends who would have accepted the wearing of a veil.
"The battle against the veil has been a long and continuing battle against the limitation of women so, in that sense, I am completely on his side.""The battle against the veil has been a long and continuing battle against the limitation of women so, in that sense, I am completely on his side."