Excerpt:
The full Islamic face-veil is a part of the "British way of life" and should be celebrated along with religious symbols such as the crucifix, according to a report published today.
Opponents of the veil claim it oppresses women and presents a barrier between those who wear traditional dress and the rest of society.
But in a new report from think-tank Civitas, Alveena Malik, a former faith adviser to the last Labour government, said the test of whether religious symbols are appropriate should be based on whether they are practical.