My Straw poll: extremists must be seen for what they are

Telegraph.co.uk ^ | 9/10/2006 | Charles Moore

[Dark Skies]

The most interesting thing about Jack Straw's pronouncement on the Muslim veil is that it was made by Jack Straw. No prominent British politician has been more friendly towards Muslims. With 25,000 of them in his Blackburn constituency, he has a clear reason to avoid giving offence.

Whether on big policy issues such as Iran's nuclear bomb, on which he was terribly weak when Foreign Secretary, or on small matters of style, Mr Straw has always stood out for his Islamophilia, and has sometimes been craven towards extremists. When the Danish cartoons of Mohammed were published, he attacked the European papers that reprinted them, not the mobs who burnt the Danish flag. I even have a strong memory – though I have not been able to trace it – of hearing him say "the Prophet Mohammed – Peace Be Upon Him" on the radio.

So when he says that he would rather Muslim women removed their veils when they talk to him, something big is inducing him to speak as he does.