Tory Shadow Justice Secretary Criticizes Niqab and Burqa at Conservative Conference

Tory shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy expressed his disapproval of the niqab and burqa during a fringe event at the Conservative conference in Birmingham. He described the garments as 'harmful' to society and compared them to a 'ball and chain.' Timothy stated that mandating the hijab in state-funded schools could breach equality law. However, he did not clarify whether the Conservative Party would support a ban on Islamic face veils as part of a policy review led by party leader Kemi Badenoch. He acknowledged the complexity of the debate, emphasizing the importance of individual choice in an open society. Timothy remarked, 'If you live in a community where lots of people are covering their faces... you are living among people who are cutting themselves off from you.' He noted that some European countries have enacted bans on the burqa in public spaces. Additionally, he raised concerns about the hijab's role in schools, referencing a situation at Barnet Hill Academy, which requires female pupils to wear white hijabs from Year 3. A spokesman for Barnet Council stated that the school's uniform policy does not apply to non-Muslim students and is in line with other faith schools in the area.