It’s logical to extend the argument into schools, but then you overlap other questions. I am personally in favour of faith schools (see http://stephenoliver.me/2010/01/18/academies-and-independent-schools-the-missing-link/). At least my children go to independent CoE schools. I understand the arguments for single sex schools, at least for some students.

Choice of faith setting has to be a parental prerogative. We’re just lucky that “our” faith is open, tolerant and seeks reconciliation – my children learn more about Judaism and Islam in their CoE school than I ever learnt in the state sector. I fear that an Islamic school might not teach the same message, but that may be prejudice.

I don’t know what the answer is. There is clearly a line that we don’t want to cross in terms of gender discrimination. The subjugation of women in many Islamic countries (which has little to do with Islam, by the way) is a model we cannot tolerate here. The question is whether legislating on the burqa would actually move us closer to achieving our aims. I suspect wouldn’t and might in fact move us further away.