One hundred Muslim women who wear a burka or niqab have written to Tory chairman Brandon Lewis to demand Boris Johnson be thrown out of the Conservative Party.
In a letter to the party on Thursday, the women say Johnson made a “deliberate choice” to inflame tensions, which could pave the way for “bigots to justify hate crime”.
Speaking as “free women who are able to speak for ourselves”, the group warns “all personal choices should be respected”, adding that an apology from Johnson would be “insufficient”.
Former Foreign Secretary Johnson sparked outrage when he compared burka-wearing Muslim women to “letterboxes” and “bank robbers” in a Sunday Telegraph column, in which he argued against a ban on face veils.
The women also hit out at Tory MP Nadine Dorries, who called the row over Johnson’s comments “manufactured outrage” and joined calls, including those made by ex-party chair Sayeeda Warsi, for a full inquiry into Islamophobia in the Tory Party.
News of the letter came as Johnson was rebuked for failing to seek official guidance before resuming his Telegraph column after quitting as a minister.
The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) - which vets appointments by ex-ministers and senior officials - said it was “unacceptable” that he signed a contract with the newspaper before contacting them.
Johnson is also facing an investigation by his party after several complaints were made about his remarks.
According to the party’s code of conduct, members should not use their position to “bully, abuse, victimise, harass or unlawfully discriminate against others”, with the prospect of suspension or expulsion for those found to be in breach.
Theresa May backed Tory chairman Lewis, who has called for Johnson to apologise, and said her former cabinet minister had “clearly caused offence”.
But a leading imam backed Johnson and said that facial maskings were “un-Muslim” and contributed to “gender-inequality and inhibiting community cohesion”.
Taj Hargey, the imam at Oxford Islamic Congregation, said while Johnson’s choice of language was unfortunate, the burka and niqab are “a nefarious component of a trendy gateway theology for religious extremism and militant Islam”.
Other Johnson supporters have said it is “ridiculous” his views were being “attacked”.
The Letter In Full
Dear Brandon Lewis,
We, the undersigned, write to you as British Muslim women who wear the niqab or burqa.
We speak as free women who are able to speak for ourselves and make our own choices. Our decision to wear the niqab or burqa is not an easy one, especially given the hate that many of us experience on a regular basis. Nevertheless we do so because we believe it is a means to get closer to God.
We recognise that this is not the practice of the majority of Muslim women and that it is a very small number who make this choice in the UK. All personal choices should be respected.
Contrary to what you may have been told by sections of the media and columnists who profess to know what is best for us, we are not forced to make these clothing choices, nor are we oppressed.
As women who wear the niqab or burqa, we have not forfeited our right to be treated fairly and as equal citizens in this country. Yet we have representatives of our governing party who think otherwise and who use Muslim women in order to pander to far-right Islamophobes within the party, as Boris Johnson has done.
We understand that you have requested Mr Johnson to apologise.
As chairman of a party that seeks to represent the whole country, which protects individual liberty as a cherished British value, your call - we believe - is insufficient.
Given a deliberate choice was made to inflame tensions in a way that makes it easier for bigots to justify hate crime against us, we concur with Conservative peer, Lord Sheikh, who has demanded the whip be withdrawn from Mr Johnson.
Furthermore, given the responses from other MPs, specifically Ms Dorries, and the broader concerns that have been raised by the Muslim Council of Britain amongst others, we believe that there must now be an independent inquiry into Islamophobia in the Party to tackle this issue once and for all.
Our rights as equal citizens may be debated within wider society, but such vile language which has real consequences for us, should never be acceptable.
We are happy to speak to Members of Parliament to share our experiences and perhaps demystify some of the concerns they may have.
Yours,
Hawa, Bolton
Shenaz, Bolton
Aisha, Bolton
Nurjahan, Bolton
Asiya, Bolton
Rashida, Blackburn
Zarina, Bolton
Almas, Bolton
Saadia, Bradford
Sabera, Bradford
Aisha, Bolton
Shaheda, Batley
Noreen, Birmingham
Shahnaz, Luton
Hamida, London
Hajra, Dewsbury
Jameela, Bolton
Haleema, Bolton
Haneefa, Bolton
Memuna, Bradford
Firdous, Bradford
Kulsum, Bolton
Fatema, Bolton
Khadijah, Luton
Khoyrun, Portsmouth
Fatima, Portsmouth
Gulab, Portsmouth
Jiba, Portsmouth
Sadika, Portsmouth
Husna, Portsmouth
Saffiyah, Portsmouth
Nazma, Portsmouth
Asma, Portsmouth
Mayarun, Bolton
Zainub, Bolton
Farida, Batley
Yumna, London
Zubaidah, Newcastle
Farzana, Batley
Maaya, Bradford
Simra, Bradford
Rasheda, Leicester
Farzana, Dewsbury
Sajidah, Bolton
Bushra, Newcastle
Rukhsana, Blackburn
Maryam, London
Farzana, Blackburn
Maarya, Batley
Rasheda, Leicester
Aminah, Oldham
Maariya, London
Taslim, Bolton
Shehnaz, Bolton
Shamim, Bolton
Sumayah, Bolton
Badrunnisa, Blackburn
Farhana, Bolton
Fatimah, Leicester
Nasim, Bolton
Rizwana, Bolton
Ammaarah, Manchester
Neelofar, Dewsbury
Salma, Bolton
Lyba, Manchester
Razia, London
Muneebah, Manchester
Qudsiyyah, Manchester
Nida, Birmingham
Sidrah, Manchester
Sahar, Cardiff
Shamima, Newport
Pritima, London
Tahsin, London
Zaynab, Chadwell Heath
Amina, London
Shirin, Stratford
Sumey, Bradford
Arifa, Bradford
Farhana, Bradford
Asma, London
Zakera, London
Summayya, London
Nasim, Leicester
Shahida, Leicester
Nasima, London
Anisa, London
Abeda, Bradford
Nafisa, Bradford
Fatima, Bradford
Khadija, Bradford
Noreen, Bradford
Sarina, Bradford
Halima, Bradford
Azba, Bradford
Nabeela, Bradford
Zainab, Bradford
Ammarah, Batley
Humera, Batley
Asma, Blackburn
Aneesa, Batley
Waseeya, Chorley
Anisah, Preston
Nafisa, Bolton
Jamila, Blackburn
Anisha, Blackburn
Saheera, Blackburn
Shakila, Preston
Tahmina, London
Latifah, London
Nada, Birmingham
Shuhana, Swindon
Sidrah, Oldham