THE TELEGRAPH: Jim Fitzpatrick, a Government minister, has publicly condemned the Muslim tradition of separating men and women at weddings.
The farming minister and his wife walked out of the marriage ceremony of a constituent after discovering they would have to sit in separate rooms.
He said the gender segregation was a sign of increasing radicalisation and was damaging to social cohesion.
However, Muslim leaders insist the custom is traditional at Islamic weddings as well as in mosques, and expressed surprise that Mr Fitzpatrick, a third of whose east London constituents are Muslims, was unaware of the fact.
It was suggested that the Labour MP was trying to appeal to white voters who may fear divided communities.
His comments echo the row triggered three years ago when Jack Straw, now the justice secretary, called Muslim face veils a “visible statement of separation and difference” and called for women to remove them during surgeries in his Blackburn constituency.
Sir Iqbal Sacranie, a founding member of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: “I think in the interest of cohesion it would be better if Mr Fitzpatrick established more contact with the Muslim community.
“It shows a lack of interest on the part of the MP to engage with people with different backgrounds and sadly it reflects badly on him.
“If he had a little bit of knowledge he would have found it was quite normal and nothing unusual for them to enjoy the celebration in this way.
“There are some who prefer segregated events and some where they are joined together. We live in a society where we need to respect all traditions.”
George Galloway, the Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow who will contest the new Poplar and Limehouse constituency against Mr Fitzgerald at the election, said: “If he doesn’t wish to attend an Islamic wedding and observe the religious customs preferred by the bride and groom, he should not go rather than insult them for perceived political gain.
“I am absolutely amazed and astonished that a Government minister with a substantial Muslim minority in his constituency should have decided to give such a gratuitous insult to so many Muslims.” >>> Martin Beckford and Stephen Adams | Thursday, August 13, 2009
