MP Supports Ruling On Muslim Dress Appeal

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 22nd Mar 2006

Commenting on today's ruling by the House of Lords that a school was not acting unlawfully when it excluded a pupil for wearing traditional Muslim dress, Dr Evan Harris, Liberal Democrat MP and member of Joint Human Rights Select Committee, said,

Shabina Begum leaving court today

"The House of Lords judgement today is welcome reinforcing this country's sensible compromise between the rights of religious expression and the rights of public authorities and public services to set reasonable limits on the conduct of service users, having consulted and having had regard to the Human Rights Act."

Denbigh High School appealed to the House of Lords after the Court of Appeal ruled that they had acted unlawfully by refusing to allow a pupil, Shabina Begum, to wear a jilbab and so denying her the right to manifest her religion. The House of Lords overturned this ruling today (22nd March 2006)

"The real human rights issues in religion and education are the lack of fair treatment of the non-religious when seeking education in an era of faith-based admissions and compulsory acts of religious worship in schools".