A senior Birmingham councillor has spoken of his fears that debate over Muslim face veils could spark a rise in Islamophobia.
Coun Waseem Zaffer, chairman of Birmingham City Council’s social cohesion board, pictured, spoke after Home Office minister Jeremy Browne called for a national debate on whether the state should step in to stop young women having the niqab imposed upon them.
The Liberal Democrat MP said a “genuine debate” was needed on whether young girls could decide to wear the veil without outside pressure.
His intervention followed Birmingham Metropolitan College’s decision to drop a ban on full-face veils amid public protests, after the original policy was exclusively revealed by the Mail.
But Coun Zaffer said the issue had been “blown out of proportion”.
He said: “Probably 0.1 per cent of people in this country wear a niqab.
“To ask for a national debate on something that affects such a small number of people is ridiculous.
“We need a national debate on the bedroom tax and unemployment.
“I fear this will play right into the hands of the far right and lead to a rise in Islamaphobia. We need to nip that in the bud.”
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he did not want to see a state ban on religious clothing, although he agreed full veils were “not appropriate” in the classroom or airport security areas.