Belgian government pass anti-burkha law

The Belgian government, in its death throes, has at least spent its time productively by passing a law banning muslims from covering their faces in public.

The law passed through the lower house with 134 of 136 MPs voting in favour and the other two abstaining.  It could be law by June or July if the upper house don't interfere with it too much.

The Belgian government has introduced the ban for security reasons and because the burkha and niqab are oppressive to women.

Banning so-called "islamic veils" - which aren't required in the Koran - has been UKIP policy for a while now, the only party in the UK that advocates such a ban.