So all someone needs to do is claim to be a Muslim convert and - hey presto! - she can rule out several facial cues and clues to whether she is lying or telling the truth. And there are a lot. Communication is largely nonverbal. All a woman who is clever with her vocal intonations needs to do is practise some oral dissembling in the full knowledge that any blushes (anger, shame) or face whitening (fear) or expressions other than with the eyes will simply not be clocked by those who need to hear and see that communication. Neat. I like it. Bring on the next excuse for people not to integrate and play by our rules when in our country.

Andrew Armitage, West Wales, UK

This is a grave error of judgement which we will all come to regret.

The attempt to 'be all things to all people' will lead ulitmately to Britain signifying nothing to anyone. People who come to this country and want to become accredited professional staff in out institutions should be required to accept British mores and customs.

Imagine the Sharia court allowing a woman to represent a defendant with hair and shoulders exposed. I think not. A prime case for stoning, woudnt you think?

Chris, Leigh-on-Sea, UK

If a Muslim woman comes to Britain she should be aware that it's not acceptable to have her face covered all the time. If a Muslim woman is born and brought up in Britain, her parents should have realised that it wasn't acceptable before they came to the country. It's up to Muslims to integrate and assimilate into British society... rather than constantly expecting society to change for them.

John, Derby, England

I don't think many of the 'inflamed' readers have actually read the article properly! A court is a place where we expect the utmost justice to be done to any party, whether a defendant, victim, legal representative and so on. The article makes it quite clear that every case will be decided on it's own merit. If the judge feels it appropriate he/she can ask the female to remove the niqab or make other arrangements. So why the fuss? Let the trusted judges do the justice.

If someone appearing in the court wants to see 'everyone', let him/her raise that with his/her lawyer? Or by some other means. A muslim woman will not object to a body search by another woman, so the security issue can be resolved.
The number of ethnic minority women, particularly Muslim women, is already very low in legal profession and to make stringent rules will deter others. This will certainly achieve equality and fairness within the justice system!

Zara, Derbyshire, UK

I still remember a judge saying ''I always listen more favorably to Counsel whose legs are encased in striped trousers''.

gwilym rhys-jones, costa del sol, spain

if a woman is required to remove the niqab in saudi arabia to prevent fraudulent testimony by impersonators why not send our human rights advocates there in order to enlighten the saudis on how things should be done.
my goodness we do need to wake up to what is going on in the u.k.

pitt, bolton, england

The guidance is bang on!. It 's right for the issue to be held at the discretion of the individual judge, after all he/she is presiding the courtroom proceedings.

Suhail Zina, London, UK

Having just read this article and for once being in sympathy with all of the associated comments (so far) I am forced to agree with the statement "the law sir, is an ass!"
It makes you wonder what these people are thinking. It does the cause of race and/or religious relations no good at all. Mind you they've probably got a lower second in Sociology so thats alright then.

Bill Glanvill, Horsham, England

These guidelines are intended to allow veils and are putting "thoughtful and sensitive" hurdles in the way of their removal. In other words, most of the time only unreasonable judges would order their removal. And if the other comments are correct: that it is expected in islamic courts for women to remove their veils, then this is just one more example of western grovelling. We grovel and fudge things rather than offend others. Imagine future medical texts saying that female circumcision "should be considered individually in order to find the best solution in each case".

Kenneth Hutchison, Tauranga, New Zealand

I too am angry that it seems we are always having to accommodate bolshy Muslims these days. However, i think this is a sensible decision. It will be left to the judge's discretion to deem the best course of action in each individual case.

In any case, it is surely right and proper to afford dignity to all British citizens. The more we do so, the more immigrants and 'late arrivals' will feel proud of, and prepared to defend, this nation.

Seb Carroll, London, London

A niqab takes on less of a cultural statement these days than a political one. Either way I believe it to be at odds with western society. Encouraging it's use only aids those who oppose us.

Paul McCloskey, London, England

Why in Gods name are we even discussing this? Wig and gown has been quite sufficient for our legal representatives for a fair old time, and I honestly can see no virtue in pandering to a tiny, if vociferous, religious minority in the name of political correctness in allowing the wearing of attire that is in all conscience only suited to the desert. A couple of weeks ago I was in Egypt in a sandstorm, and that was the only time I have seen that a niquab was of any practical value, and I'm quite sure there aren't that many sandstorms in British courts!
Mind you, some of the legal eagles I've seen, wearing one of these things would be an improvement.
Incidentally would a nudist be allowed to be nude in court in order to represent another nudist? I dont think so!
MA

Mike Asacret, Cambridge, England

The decision is curious. A person appearing in a court should appear in a manner that makes identification easy and possible. If somebody wears a nikab, impersonation is possible and if such impersonation occurs the administration of justice gets derailed to that extent. Nikaab should be allowed where identification is possible or where identification of a person is unnecessary. The least one expects when an immgration applicant appears before an immigration court is the applicant is appears physically and without obstruction by the court by the court., subject of sourse to normal standards of decency.

Umakantha Sarma, Plano, Texas, USA

Well, it's not always your right, so don't consider it as such. What about witness protection? I realise that does not come into play in this article above, but I am merely informing you that it is not always what happens.

Elyse, London,

I don't agree that the veil should be allowed.
Apart from the need to see the face , there is the security factor, would
Muslim women prefer a body search ? no, I didn't think so .
We come back to the same question then, why is it neccessary to
cover the face & cloak a body in this camoflage which could hide a
great deal more than a womans modesty, it as has already been
proven by one man as an easy disguise.
It would be quite a coup for terrorists to get into the British law courts.
I f we cannot travel through security at airports with our jackets on,
why should a Muslim be allowed to cover head to toe in our law courts.

maggie Millington, Brittany, France

Al-Dasooqi said: " When testimony is given concerning a woman who wears niqaab (face-veil), she has to remove her niqaab. This applies in the case of marriage and other matters, such as selling, giving gifts, debts, power of attorney, and so on. This is the opinion favoured by our shaykh." (Haashiyat al-Dasooqi 'ala'l-Sharh al-Kabeer, 4/194).

It is permissible for a woman to uncover her face when she is giving testimony in court, whether she is a witness in a case or is there to witness a deal, and it is permissible for the qaadi (judge) to look at her in order to know who she is and to protect the rights of all concerned.

Shaykh al-Dardeer said: "It is not permitted to give testimony against a woman in niqaab until she uncovers her face so that it may be known who she is and what she looks like." (Al-Sharh al-Kabeer li'l- Shaykh al-Dardeer, 4/194)

Salauddin, London, UK

I don't agree that the veil should be allowed.
Apart from the need to see the face , there is the security factor, would
Muslim women prefer a body search ? no, I didn't think so .
We come back to the same question then, why is it neccessary to
cover the face & cloak a body in this camoflage which could hide a
great deal more than a womans modesty, it as has already been
proven by one man as an easy disguise.
It would be quite a coup for terrorists to get into the British law courts.
I f we cannot travel through security at airports with our jackets on,
why should a Muslim be allowed to cover head to toe in our law courts.

maggie Millington, Brittany, France

Great Britian is a western nation, not a Middle Eastern nation. The laws and customs of a nation must be followed by immigrants; otherwise, there will be chaos.

It is not unreasonable to expect a person to display his or her entire face while in court. To suggest otherwise is absurd.

Muslims cannot come to England (or America for that matter) and feel they have the right to change our way of life.

Thomas W. Cunningham, Jr., St. Petersburg, Florida, USA

OK, well in that case should I ever be in court for anything, I will feel entitled to adopt a face mask to gain a strategic interpersonal advantage, no different from balaclava muggers and hoody thugs. If I can see them, but they can't see me, that's an advantage in adverserial interpersonal communication.

Besides which, my religion of The Holy Green Grebo Sky God says I MUST wear it......so I demand society respects that.

Joe, Manchester,

Apoplectic!!!!!

Michael, Bridgwater, Somerset

if a wanted male terrorist can slip through customs wearing nothing but the niqab I wonder how easy it's going to be for people to impersonate someone else in a court room.

R, Princes Risborough, UK

This is so stupid!

Even in Saudi Courts a woman is required to remove the niqab (face veil) since that is the only way to prevent fraudulent testimony from impersonators!

Salauddin, London, UK

If I was to appear in court I should consider it my 'right' that I should be able to see everybody else involved in the case. No veils, ever.

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland