Lord Falconer Backs Veil Ban

Lord Falconer addressed the annual conference of the National Association of Head Teachers in Bournemouth yesterday. During his speech he told head teachers that they shouldn't worry about being prosecuted under the Human Rights Act if they make a reasonable decision to ban the veil.

He referred to the recent ruling that defended Denbigh High School after it banned a student from wearing a jilbab. He said:

The case showed how uniform can be a difficult issue and one where head teachers and the schools' governing bodies have to think extremely carefully. But more than that it showed that common sense and human rights are entirely in line with each other.