I have no problems with cctv, if I did I would never go out in London that must have more cameras than any other city. I suspect part of the point of the congestion charge was to enable a ring of cctv to be located around the city.
However I do think that a line has to be drawn over the extent the security or other services should be allowed in respect of the surveillance of individuals.
Covert operations to secure national security are a necessity but unless strictly controlled these operations will creep into our everyday lives and that cannot be right.

I also agree with cameras

I would like to make it an offence to hide ones face in public places, if you are a honest citizen what have you got to fear?

Exactly.

I agree with CCTV too. Many of them aren't monitored but they can be viewed if there has been an incident. They can act as a deterrent to thieves.

I can't remember many burkas in the UK years ago. A couple of years ago we landed at Heathrow the same time as 2 flights from a Mecca trip. When I saw the luggage hall I thought I had landed in the wrong country!

I would say, however, that I would not go as far as France in banning the veil altogether - I cannot see what harm it does to anyone else if people choose to cover their heads and wear clothing that covers their bodies completely. I know it can be a vexed question as to whether it is worn as a choice or women are compelled to wear it, but I've known plenty of Muslim women who didn't choose to wear it and nobody made them do so, and read accounts from plenty who say that they have made a choice to wear it even though their own mothers didn't do so.

Agree, plus they can stop and search me if they have reason, they can read all my e-mails if they like, but I suspect they'll be bored! If I were to visit or live in a Muslim country I'd be happy not to drink alcohol, have my wife cover her arms etc, not to drive, why is it such a big deal when we ask people to adhere to our rules?

I agree, muslim countries expect people to conform to dress codes etc, and quite right too.

Shouldn´t the UK expect the same, it cannot do much for community relations if women cannot recognise eachother, and it is not a way of forming community spirit amongst residents, with a barrier of black cloth, which effectively cuts both the wearer and the non wearer off from each other.

Also doing a "selfie" is rather pointless.

They say some women say it is their choice. Most are hardly likely to come out and say it isn't are they Some women indirectly choose to get beaten up by living with violent men...co-dependency. Don't forget if any woman went public and said she didn't want to wear the burka her Husband would be entitled (with permission from the mullahs) to beat her.

I've already said I don't think anyone should be allowed to conceal their identity in public, which would rule out wearing the burqua in any event.

When I said I wouldn't want to see the muslim veil banned altogether I was talking about the hijab or headscarf, I see no good reason to object to that. I wouldn't want to wear it myself, but then I'm not a muslim.

I see hundreds of people every day wearing things that make me wince to look at them, but that doesn't give me the right to demand that they be banned, that's just my personal prejudice.

I agree, wholeheatedly with you. I think they should be banned they are a sign of oppression and have no place in the UK- Burkas, I mean, head coverings are a different matter.

France has banned them along with other countires.

A headscarf is fine...except on children at junior school.

Since when is it right that sights like this are seen in the UK.

Lets be honest those sights are ludicrous in the 21st century

Police in most countries, including the UK, have always had the right to stop, search and detain people if necessary if they suspect an offence has been committed, and that includes people wearing burkas.

Such a person can be taken to a police station to be searched by women officers without a male presence, a procedure which applies to all women suspects.

But with the wealth of civil rights actions now taken against the police on a regular basis, it would take an extremely brave (or foolish) officer to detain a person wearing a burka in this way.

He, or she, would be writing reports for weeks and would probably be summoned to appear before that horrible Keith Vaz at the House of Commons. They would probably get the sack, which is why they don't bother.

Very good point.