Uncover yourself woman

I'm becoming increasing disgruntled about the numbers of women wearing pillbox style niqabs or burkas of late. I'm convinced that numbers are increasing.

My tolerance is beginning to be stretched. As far as I'm concerned, somebody can wear whatever they like, as long as they cover their scrotum and private orifices (that's my minimum standard of decency - I don't believe that anybody deserves to be inflicted in public with the sight of a dangling scrote). But I'm beginning to find this face covering pretty unacceptable. I was in court in Bradford yesterday, and there were loads of them hanging around. It's a fairly primitive barrier to justice and fairness before the law if you can't even see a witness' face.

I wouldn't seek a public ban - you tend to get unintended consequences when you ban things. Neanderthal husbands might insist that their wives simply do not leave the house if they're forbidden from covering their faces outside. That would merely bury problems of abuse even deeper. But many businesses have rules such as no hoodies or masks on the premises - and I don't see why this couldn't be extended to other forms of face mask.

I would welcome a law which outlaws the covering of faces in public buildings. If you want to walk down the street covered head to toe then fine - if you want to dress like that in Sainsbury's then fine (as long as Sainsbury's is happy with it). But if you want to visit a doctor, or collect your dole money, or file a law suit, then you should pay people the respect of showing your face.