I agree with Keith. Johnson's point was that, despite looking bizarre (cheap joke about letterboxes, which I found quite funny actually) women should not be told what they can or can't wear here in UK.

It seemed to me to be heartening in its tolerance of religious foibles, and supportive of women, not condemnatory of Muslims. He just likes cracking rather off-colour jokes; ill-advised but not, I think, indicative of any innate racism.

In the African countries I've visited (I know Iains has travelled widely there too) most Muslim women do not cover their faces in burkas or anything else. In Cote d'Ivoire, (in the city of Abidjan, not the countryside) one sees the odd lady in full black attire (burka), and even wearing black gloves in the intense heat. The other Muslim women find this silly and unnecessary.

It's quite true that there is nothing in the Koran (which I've read in translation from cover to cover) regarding covering the face. It talks merely about modesty.