If supposedly sensible Conservative MPs, activists and commentators seriously believe it is acceptable for their senior politicians to describe BAME women as "letter boxes" and "bank robbers" then it's over. It really is all over.
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Excellent. And how do we, as a society, collectively agree on what non-essential clothing items should be banned. Referendum? Primary-legislation? Some sort of regulatory authority - OFBURKA? Personally, I’d like to see Ugg boots on the list.
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People who wear smart jackets over t-shirts

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Easy there...
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We know your red line...
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Dan may I suggest you join the
@guardian as your journalism has turned decidedly, well lefty in recent weeks? -
You can, but I’ll ignore you. As, I suspect, will the Guardian.
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Lefty are you mad...
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This is the dumbest debate I ever saw on Twitter.
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I thought that was one of my more highbrow interventions...
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Going to be a lot of disappointed brides at weddings and widows at funerals or will they get special dispensation from the face cover police?
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It's a shame Dan is taking this silly view as I generally agree with most of his opinions
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Agree, a free soceity is one that only lets people do the things that some radio presenter decides serve a purpose. Ban everything else.
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I bet more robberies have been carried out by people wearing a mask of President than wearing a burka. Any takers?
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So the burka as it serves a religious purpose is ok?
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Do we ban beards too...
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Odd that Johnson didn’t use his column to insult balaclava wearers if that was his intention. Leading the national debate on acceptable knitwear. Alternatively, it was purely a dog whistle for racists.
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It wouldn't be that complicated to criminalise concealment of identity. Something on the theme of.. Wearing any item with the intent to conceal identity.... ...(perhaps with the addition of)... ...and refusing to remove said item when requested to do so by a police officer.
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Police have that power already under Section 60 of the Public Order Act. They don't use it on those in 'religious dress' as I have seen many times at the Al Quds parade despite criminal activity ie breaches of anti terror and race relations acts
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Indeed. It is intended mainly for masks, balaclavas etc at parades / protests. However, if anyone thinks it would be impossible to extend legislation to burqas etc, it really wouldn't. I believe the French have already done so.
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In my part of the world, Northern Ireland, we have alternative methods for dealing with people concealing their faces, but I suspect plastic bullets and water canon would be considered a tad harsh for wearers of burqas. Maybe Boris should float that idea to test opinions.
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