UK PM David Cameron says Muslim women must learn and improve their English to stay, backs face veils ban

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said Muslim women must integrate themselves in society in order to stay in the country. The British leader also said he backs schools preventing Muslim girls from wearing face veils in the classroom.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s “Today” on Monday, the prime minister said there needs to be a “more assertive” action if the country wants to get rid of discrimination against Muslim women. He started off by saying the women need to segregate themselves into society.

There are 38,000 Muslim women who don’t speak English at all, and about 190,000 who don’t speak it well, Cameron quoted numbers from statistics. He said that learning English is essential if one wants to come to the country. And in order to stay, they must also improve their English language skills. He cleared, though, that these are applicable to everyone, “not just Muslim women.”

“It is when people come under a spousal visa because they are marrying someone who is already here, after two-and-a-half years, we will be testing their English,” he stated. Those who don’t improve their fluency in English will not be allowed to stay.

Under the law, a person must speak basic level of English before they can come to the UK as a husband or wife of someone already in the country. Cameron said he would be toughening that law up, and would require the partners to improve their language skills halfway through the five-year spousal settlement program. The new rule is expected to take effect in October and will affect recent applicants.

As he further explained, there are women who are not allowed by their husbands to learn or be educated. They are not allowed to go outside their houses without a male relative, or even allowed to participate in society meetings. These are happening in the UK but should not be, Cameron stressed. One way to eradicate the extreme patriarchal practice is to allow women to be a member of the society.

His definitive plan of action is to allot £20 million ($41 million) to the language education program to help women learn English.

When presenter Sarah Montague pointed out that the free language classes for immigrants were completely defunded, Cameron said the new budget will target those who are in great danger of isolation from the society.

Ban on full face veils

On schools banning women from wearing full face veils, Cameron supports the idea. Although he refused to endorse a law that completely bans Muslim women from wearing a niqab, or a full length veil that covers the face, he backs schools that would prohibit certain clothing items. France banned full face veils in 2010.

“I think in our country people should be free to wear what they like, within limits, live how they like, and all the rest of it,” he told BBC Radio 4.

“What does matter is if, for instance, a school has a uniform policy, sensitively put in place and all the rest of it, and people want to flout that uniform policy, often for reasons that aren’t connected to religion, you should always come down on the side of the school.”