Hats off to EU rules
Judgment on religion suits 3 Brexiteers
A MUSLIM human rights group emails me to warn the law could force me to shave off my beard, while the Sikh Federation says it fears long hair may soon be made illegal.
This would concern me more if I had whiskers – or a hairdo covering my shoulders.
But as you’ll see from the picture above I took the precaution of dispensing with both years ago to keep them out of the interfering hands of the European Court of Justice.
Boris Johnson, David Davis and Liam Fox will be delighted by the ECJ’s ruling allowing EU firms to ban Islamic headscarves, Sikh turbans, Jewish skullcaps and Christian crosses.
Muslims reckon their beards will be next, and Sikhs fear for what a man keeps under his turban.
Budgie
Re m e m b e r that ridiculous referendum battlebus announcing Brexit would save £350million a week?
Now the Cabinet’s three Brexiteers can claim leaving the EU will safeguard 350 million hair follicles, which the NHS can put to good use.
I abhor religious discrimination, and believe women should wear what they like in public, including burkas or burkinis, though I personally don’t like the look of either. But in the workplace, and even social situations, the boss or host must also have the right to say what should be worn.
Speaker John Bercow would soon expel me from the House of Commons if I turned up in budgie smugglers. But then so would my colleagues because my Speedo days are behind me.
When morning dress is required for a wedding, or evening dress for a party, wearing anything else is disrespectful and impolite. When I appear on telly I put on a tie if the male presenter is likely to be wearing one. And leave it off when open-necked shirts are more usual. I am their guest so to do otherwise would again be disrespectful and impolite. The ECJ ban has got religious leaders squealing. But in most jobs, hijabs or turbans are no problem, t hough perhaps i ncovenient i nside a radiation protection suit at a nuclear plant or for deep sea diving. But let’s not split hairs.
If clothing matters more than working – don’t take a job at Sellafield or under water.