Ken Clarke Calls For Full Veil Ban In Courts

Muslim women should be banned from wearing a veil while giving evidence in British courts, a senior Conservative MP has argued.

Ken Clarke likened traditional female Islamic dress to being "in a kind of bag" and said he found it "a most peculiar costume for people to adopt in the 21st century" during a BBC radio show.

He claimed his comments were not motivated by "Islamophobia", but said he felt it was essential for the court to be able to see a witness's body language.

The former Chancellor and Home Secretary said: "I don't think a witness should be allowed to give evidence from behind a veil.

"I can't see how on earth a judge and a jury can really appraise evidence when you're facing someone who is cloaked and is completely invisible to you.

"It's almost impossible to have a proper trial if one of the persons is in a kind of bag."

A judge's ruling in September that a Muslim woman could not give evidence at her trial wearing a full-face veil sparked debate about whether Britain should follow other European countries and ban veils in schools and public places.

Judge Peter Murphy said at the time he hoped Parliament or a higher court would provide a definitive verdict "sooner rather than later".

Britain has so far steered clear of following the examples of France and Belgium, where it is illegal for women to wear full-face veils in public.

Mr Clarke, who is currently a minister without portfolio, said he had no objection to anyone wearing what they liked outside the courtroom provided it was "decent".

But, he said, it was vital for jurors to be able to observe a person's body language and facial expression to make a decision on whether they were telling the truth.

He added: "I actually think it undermines a trial and that's not based on any trace of islamophobia."