Boris Johnson’s comments on the burqa: Is Islamophobia being used for political gain in the British Conservative Party?

2018 has seen repeated calls for the Conservative party to launch an official inquiry into Islamophobia within its ranks to ensure that it does not accommodate racism and bigotry. Do Boris Johnson’s recent comments on the burqa reveal a culture of using Islamophobia for political gain in the party?

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Denmark’s burqa ban is a repeat of so many before it. Will it backfire in the same way?

The recent burqa ban introduced in Denmark is the latest manifestation of a recurring pattern of burqa bans in Europe. These bans tend to end up backfiring, so will Denmark’s end up doing the same?

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Dutch parliament votes in favour of ‘burqa ban’

After more than a decade of pushing for a ban on face-covering clothing, far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders has finally succeeded in making this ban reality. Officially, the ban is directed at more general forms of face-covering clothing such as balaclavas and full face helmets, but popularly the ban is understood as a ban on…

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BBC Radio 4’s ‘Too Young to Veil?’ examines controversy around primary school age girls wearing the hijab

Shaimaa Khalil discusses the rising trend in the UK of primary school girls wearing the hijab, whether there is a need for concern about this, and who, if anyone, has the right to decide what young girls wear.

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UK Independence Party manifesto includes burka ban

UKIP party leader Paul Nuttal said that wearing a burka or niqab was too much of a security risk and barrier to integration.  Labour MP Chuka Umunna responded that UKIP was a “hate peddler.” Nuttal also said that UKIP candidates would largely not challenge any Members of Parliament (MP) who supported Brexit. Nutall did not confirm…

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