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100 British Muslim women who wear a burka or niqab have written to Conservative chair Brandon Lewis, demanding Boris Johnson be kicked out of the party.
The letter, seen exclusively by Sky News, says an apology would be “insufficient” and that Mr Johnson made a “deliberate choice” to “inflame tensions in a way that makes it easier for bigots to justify hate crime against us”.
They speak as “free women who are able to speak for ourselves and make our own choices” and condemn the former foreign secretary for comparing women who wear the burka to “bank robbers” and “letterboxes”.
Sources close to Mr Johnson, who is now facing investigation by the party, defended his comments and claimed it was “ridiculous that these views are being attacked”.
The letter to the the chair of the Conservative Party reads:
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bigots to justify hate crime against us, we concur with Conservative peer, Lord Sheikh, who has demanded the whip be withdrawn from Mr Johnson.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.
We look forward to hearing from you soon,
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
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