I welcome the comments made by First Minister John Swinney on the issue of the burqa and, in particular, his clear statement that women should be free to choose what they want to wear (writes FOYSOL CHOUDHURY).
In Scotland, we should be proud of being a diverse and multicultural country where people are free to practise their faith, express their culture, and make their own personal choices without unnecessary interference from the state.
My Work in Parliament
I have consistently raised these vital issues in the Scottish Parliament to ensure our legislation, debates, and public policy reflect our core values of equality, personal autonomy, and human rights. Through parliamentary questions to the Scottish Government, I have formally challenged dangerous proposals to restrict religious dress and pressed Ministers on how they intend to safeguard minority communities.
Specifically, I have raised questions in Parliament pressing Ministers on:
- Protecting Civil Liberties: What explicit measures the Scottish Government is taking to protect individual rights and ensure women retain the freedom to choose their own clothing free from state control or harassment.
- Community Cohesion: How the Government is monitoring and mitigating the damaging impact that toxic political rhetoric and divisive debates have on minority communities across Scotland.
- Tackling Hate Crime: What proactive steps are being taken to ensure women who choose to wear religious garments, such as the burqa or hijab, are protected from discrimination, harassment, and abuse in public spaces.
Stopping Political Hate and Division
It is deeply alarming to see some politicians actively using the floor of Parliament and public platforms to spread hate, target specific religious groups, and divide our communities.
When politicians play politics with people’s identity and faith, it is not harmless debate — it is dangerous, and it needs to be stopped.
- Inciting Hatred and Division: Rhetoric that singles out Muslim women normalises Islamophobia and prejudice. It signals to the wider public that certain groups are acceptable targets for hostility.
- Fueling Abuse on the Streets: Words spoken in Parliament have real-world consequences. Inflammatory political debates directly increase the risk of verbal and physical harassment faced by minority women in their everyday lives.
- Undermining Democratic Trust: Politics should be about bringing people together to solve shared problems. When politicians use their platform to pit communities against one another, it erodes social trust and weakens the democratic principles of equality and mutual respect.
The Real Impact of Ban Proposals
Proposals to ban or restrict religious dress do not liberate anyone, they actively harm the women they purport to discuss.
- Increasing Isolation: Rather than empowering women, dress bans risk forcing visually identifiable Muslim women out of public life, restricting their access to education, employment, and public services due to heightened fears for their safety.
- Eroding Freedom for Everyone: Allowing the government or political parties to dictate what women can or cannot wear sets a dangerous precedent that undermines fundamental bodily autonomy and religious freedom for all citizens.
A Scotland Built on Freedom and Equality
For many women, religious and cultural clothing is an important part of their identity and faith. This is not unique to Muslim communities. Scotland is home to people from many different ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds, all of whom contribute enormously to the country we share.
We must reject attempts by politicians to divide us. We should be having a conversation about freedom, equality, and choice, not using the parliament to tell women what they can and cannot wear.
Women must have the right to decide what they wear for themselves. That freedom must apply equally to everyone, whether someone chooses to wear a burqa, hijab, turban, traditional cultural dress, or no religious clothing at all.
Scotland is strongest when everyone can feel that they belong.
Diversity is a strength to be celebrated, and protecting people’s freedom to express their faith and culture is fundamental to building a fair, safe, and inclusive society.
Foysol Choudhury MBE is a former Member of the Scottish Parliament & Shadow Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development
