The ban on wearing the veil in public spaces is absurd and unenforceable.

There will be no-go areas, with a concentrated Muslim presence, where the French police dare not venture.

The Globe and Mail tells me that no-one knows how many Muslims there are in France. Estimates range between five and ten million. After the Second World War the census dropped questions about ethnicity and religion. Big mistake.

But if even a tiny fraction of those millions decide to cover their face in an act of solidarity, the police would be powerless.

Fortunately, the UK is not banning veils - gesture politics at its most futile.

Other things being equal, I much prefer to see a person’s face rather than just their eyes. I like a smiley face. But that’s just my personal preference.

Back in 2006, Jack Straw created quite a stir when he commented about the veil which is now commonplace in his Blackburn constituency.

I recall telling the Pendle Labour Party that Jack had told me a few years before then that he had a policy of not seeing veiled women in his surgeries. He referred them to his secretary. (see attachment below)

I never went down that road.

When I met a veiled woman I assumed she was not in employment. Or, rather, she was not working with people outside her own faith.

You just don’t see veiled women behind the check out at Tesco’s or, indeed, in any kind of job that requires interaction with people of all faiths and none.

Of course there are the veiled super rich. The Saudi women shopping for diamonds and luxury goods.

But we don’t see many of those in Nelson or Brierfield.

In Paris, yes. It will be interesting to see if the ban is enforced in upscale shops.

Here in Canada, the issue flares up from time to time and then dies away again.

The same will happen in France.

The veil is not the issue. What really, really matters is getting more Muslim women into work.

Submarines that can't fire torpedoes

Last year there was a tremendous kerfuffle about Britain having aircraft carriers but no planes to fly off them.

Last November, an outraged Rear Admiral Scott Lidbetter told the Daily Telegraph that having an aircraft carrier without planes was like having a tank with no gun.

Surely, here is a story that can’t be matched. Anywhere.

Wrong.

In 1998, the ever trusting Canadians bought four submarines from their old friend and partner, the UK. Thirteen years later, we learn that only one submarine is partially operational.

And, as if that isn’t bad enough, the Canadian navy has the wrong torpedoes for the submarines.

Who was responsible for this lunatic defence procurement decision?

The hatches are firmly battened down on that one.

Attachments:

28 GC October 2006.pdf

[Report to Pendle Labour Party October 2006]

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