Quote Originally Posted by Burney View Post
What's wrong with mocking an item of clothing women (we are told) wear voluntarily?

By saying what he's said, he's shown just how thoroughly people will over-react to the mildest possible mockery of Islam. Had he condemned it in the rather pious terms I did, it wouldn't have shown up the insane disparity between the comments and the reaction anywhere near as effectively.

The reaction is the whole point. I doubt Boris gives a flying one about Burkas per se. He's interested in showing just how insane Number 10 and the left-wing tories will go if the sacred cow of Islam is even mildly laughed at.
Had Corbyn mocked the appearance of Hasidic Jews in the same way that Boris mocked women who wear the burka you and many others would have accused him of anti-Semitism.

Monty is right, it was really stupid. Using your criticism would have been much more effective and would generated just as much of a reaction. The people who want someone like Boris in No. 10 would have been much happier with a debate over the burka and what it represents than a debate over how much of an idiot Boris has been, I think.