Lib Dem views: Banning the full-face veil

Home Office Minister Jeremy Browne has called for a debate on whether Muslim girls should be banned from wearing veils in public places such as schools. What do Lib Dem members think?

Jennifer Churchill, Twickenham and Richmond

"You don't liberate a young woman by telling her what she can wear in order to free her from not wearing what someone else tells her to wear. It doesn't make any type of sense.

"A young woman has to decide for herself what to wear. You can encourage people to think for themselves, for a person to be autonomous, but you can't put a ban on following someone else's infringement of their liberty. There has to be another lever to liberate them, not a ban."

Callum Leslie, Fife

"I think Jeremy Browne's comments are ignorant, they show no acceptance of racial diversity in our society and have a complete disregard for individual liberty and freedom surrounding religious dress."

Hamish Mackenzie, Fyfe

"There is room for a debate because if this sort of thing is left to extremist parties, like it's been in other countries, then facts don't get seen and ignorance prevails.

"But quite frankly I don't think it's anyone's business what people wear. If it's a religious symbol, whether that's a cross or a veil, I think it should be up to people to decide.

"You need to fight coercion... but to say we are going to blanket ban a piece of clothing is illiberal."

Barbara Pearce, Nottingham

"They have got to be given support to not wear a veil if they want. I lived for a long time in Leeds and Bradford area and I know of instances where young people, not just girls, kick against the traces and they needed to have the freedom to do that. I think it's better to be discussing and debating it than to be hiding and covering it up.

"I think it's absolutely right that we should be discussing anything that affects people's civil liberties."

Damon Hooton, Somerset and Frome

"He's entitled to his view. I choose to disagree with him. And it's up to anybody else what view they want to take.

"By and large I think we should allow the cultures that live in this country to abide by their culture as long as they fit in with the way the country operates. We're not broken at the moment so let's not try and fix it."

Veronica German, Monmouth

"It shouldn't be a negative, it should be about giving young girls a positive image, so that they can say what they want to do. But it's a debate worth having.

"If that's what he (Jeremy Browne) was trying to do and see how we can make young women more positive and give them self-confidence then that's fine."