The majority of British adults believe that the burqa, a loose garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions for the purpose of hiding a female’s body and face when out in public, should be completely banned in Britain, a recent poll on behalf of Channel 5 news has found. 67% of respondents agree that the burqa should be completely banned in Britain, with 42% of those in agreement feeling strongly.
The results come after MPs in France voted last week to ban the wearing of the full face veil in public places, and Tory MP Philip Hollobone introduced a private members’ bill proposing a similar ban in the UK. This led Immigration Minister Damian Green to label any ban on the burqa as ‘un-British’.
Young adults
Indeed, although the majority of UK adults agree that the burqa should be banned, over a quarter (27%) disagree that it should be completely outlawed in Britain. And interestingly, there is far less support for a ban amongst younger adults, with nearly half (46%) of 18-24 year olds and 37% of 25-34 year olds saying that they disagree with a ban on the burqa. This is compared to 30% of 35-44 year olds, 22% of 45-54 year olds and 16% of those aged 55 and over.
