Boris Johnson says he would repeat controversial 'anti-Muslim' burka remarks

Former foreign secretary and prominent Brexiteer Boris Johnson admits he would repeat his widely criticised remarks about women in burkas.

In a column in the Telegraph newspaper, Johnson described women wearing burkas as “letterboxes” and “bank robbers”. But speaking to Nick Ferrari on LBC radio, Johnson said he did not believe the remarks amounted to anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Johnson was both praised and criticised for the column, which explained his stance against face-covering veils in public. He said it was "ridiculous" that people chose to wear them.

He told Ferrari that Muslims had offered him support and that he would repeat the same language, explaining:

I don't agree with women being cajoled to wear clothing that obscures their faces. People say that politicians should be careful of what they say and watch their words, and all this sort of mumbo jumbo.

I don't agree. I don't agree. I really don't.

Ferrari interjected:

Even if it causes offence?

Boris to respond:

I don't want to cause offence if I can avoid it. But I think one of the duties of a politician is to speak their mind so far as possible.

H/T: LBC

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