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Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin's call to "ban the Burka" in Britain has been fiercely supported by broadcaster Adam Brooks who declared the garment is a "security issue".Addressing the House of Commons with her first question to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the representative for Runcorn and Helsby asked if would consider a ban.FULL STORY HERE.
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I want your views on this first
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Ban the burka, yes or no? Yes, I don't think anyone should be able to cover their face in public
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I think it's a security issue. I was only in Oxford Street earlier
0:12
There were young youths in black puffer jackets and Covid masks. I don't think that should be allowed either
0:18
There's a real integration problem as well. I think humans should show their face
0:24
It's part of who we are. We communicate via our face and our emotions
0:30
You're right, you cannot integrate if you're not showing your face. And I do worry how many of these women are forced to do that
0:39
It's all right saying that many do choose to do it. I'm sure they do. But many are told they cannot show their face
0:45
What do you reckon, Mark? Well, it's interesting what you showed about those other European countries, Patrick
0:50
and I don't know the specifics of the law in each and every one of them. But what was banned was face coverings, right
0:55
Now, that seems to me ineminently reasonable. You can't walk into a bank wearing a balaclava or a motorcycle helmet
1:03
In courts of law, I think you need to see the whites of the eyes of people. Interesting cultural point that Adam raises as well
1:09
Generally, if you can't see each other and express facial expressions to each other, it's problematic
1:15
So I wouldn't go for the burqa per se, but I don't think that we should make exemptions
1:20
based on a particular religious preference for wearing a particular... You're right. The elegant solution is to batten all face coverings
1:28
in public places, isn't it? I think that would make sense. With obvious exceptions, like
1:34
it's minus 20, you know, and you can probably wear a balaclava there. But Nina, your take
1:39
on this now I must be quite surprised I understand you are in favour of a Birka ban I am because of these two good arguments here But I also find it very upsetting personally
1:51
when I see a woman with her face covered and no identity
1:56
no identity at all. And it may be that she's chosen because she's been brought up
2:00
in the custom and the culture and the religion, and that is a natural thing to her
2:05
I still find that very upsetting, because as a woman, I would like to be able to express myself
2:13
and be the person that I want to be. And I feel that there's a restriction on women like that
2:20
But as I say, obviously, there's the whole security thing. I mean, going through passport control, anything, a court of law
2:28
you've got to be able to identify people. We have got a massive problem with both unemployment
2:34
and integration in this country. And whilst some women who wear the full burqa do work
2:40
we've had cases, actually, that were deemed relatively controversial, where there was a female primary school teacher
2:44
who was in the full burqa, and some of the parents, and some of the pupils, the pupils were very young
2:48
some of them were a bit freaked out by it. That was just what their testimony was
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and there was a bit of a hoo-ha about that, should she be allowed to wear the burqa in the classroom, all of that
2:58
So some of them do work. But I would look at this, Mark, and I would suggest
3:03
that if you are a woman in a full burqa in a lot of places, for example, you know
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parts of inner city Bradford and places like that. I'm not sure you're working as well
3:13
I think maybe there's a very patriarchal culture there where you are expected to cover up and stay at home
3:21
My God, I'm the pinko lefty on the panel. I didn't think this would ever... Look, if there's a suggestion
3:27
that any uniform is not being worn with consent, let's tackle it there and then
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