I heard yesterday that the French government had voted to ban the wearing of the Hijab in public, or, more precisely, they banned the wearing of any items of clothing which cover the face. This strikes me as problematic, especially in a western liberal democracy; it is indeed a backwards step. Surely we should be at liberty to wear what we want: indeed, rather facetiously ii noted that now nobody can wear zentai suits in France.

The French government justifies its move by arguing that the veil is a sign of women’s repression. While it would be nave to deny that women are sometimes forced into wearing them, I strongly suspect many do it out of choice. It is, after all, part of their identity, and I presume they are proud of their Islamic heritage. I think they should be allowed to show such pride, just as I should be allowed to wear whatever I want to wear. I am rather interested in identity, dress and so on, and anything that prevents one from expressing oneself in whatever way is surely a bad thing. Should we ban Rastas from wearing hats, Christians from wearing crucifixes, or Charlton athletic supporters their red and white tops?

The answer, of course, is no, which leads me to suspect that the French government is singling out Muslims. This law represses their rights, both to act as they wish and to show their faith. Of course, I am no expert in French politics – I can just about point out their president from a line-up, but that’s only because he has big ears and a stupid-looking wife – but this strikes me as a lurch to the right, which, in our closest neighbour and fellow permanent member of the UN, troubles me very deeply indeed,