Kemi Badenoch takes on Jenrick as she insists burka ban 'not a priority'

Kemi Badenoch has insisted a burka ban in Britain is "not a priority" after Robert Jenrick pushed for the move. The Shadow Justice Secretary yesterday said he would "probably" outlaw the wearing of the garment in public as there are "basic values in this country and we should stand up and defend them".

But a spokesman for the Tory leader today said there were "other issues around integration" that should be addressed first before banning the burka, which is worn by some Muslim women to cover their bodies and faces. He said: "The party's position is that bosses should have the right to ask people to remove the burka in their workplaces.

"She said herself that when she holds constituency surgeries she asks people to remove the burka.

"A full ban at this time is not a priority. There are other issues around integration, such as Sharia courts and cousin marriage, that we should be looking at first."

The spokesman added that Mrs Badenoch would support headteachers being able to tell pupils to take off burkas.

He said: "She has previously said schools should be able to decide what children wear."

Asked why Mrs Badenoch and Mr Jenrick held a different view on the issue, the spokesman said: "Rob was expressing an opinion, he made it clear it was his opinion.

"But the party policy remains as set out by the leader."

He added that Mrs Badenoch "wants a full exchange of ideas and ministers to be able to show their personalities, rather than just hold rigidly to a line".

Mr Jenrick, who was Mrs Badenoch's rival in the Tory leadership race, suggested the UK should copy Italy by considering a crackdown on the burka during a radio phone-in.

Asked about the controversial issue, he told Talk: "I probably would ban the burka."

Mr Jenrick added: "There are basic values in this country, and we should stand up and defend them.

"And where you see them fraying at the edges or frankly being completely destroyed - whether it's Sharia courts or wearing the burka - these are issues we're going to have to confront if we want to build the kind society that we want to hand onto our kids and grandkids."