More than two-thirds of people believe there should be a complete ban on wearing the burqa across Britain, according to a Five News and YouGov poll quoted on the SkyNews website.

The survey was conducted after French MPs voted in favour of a ban on wearing veils over the face - a move which could make the burqa illegal, according to a report in our sister newspaper, the Gulf Daily News.

In April, Belgium became the first country in Europe to outlaw the burqa in public places.

Amnesty International has said such moves "violate the rights to freedom of expression and religion".

However, supporters of a ban, such as French President Nicolas Sarkozy, claim face veils "hurt the dignity of women".

The Five News and YouGov poll revealed out of more than 2,000 respondents, 67 per cent either agreed or strongly agreed with a British ban.

One of those who thinks the burqa should be outlawed is the chairman of the Muslim Educational Centre in Oxford.

"We're not telling these women what they can wear. We're telling them the only thing they should do is uncover their faces," said imam Dr Taj Hargey.

"I think this notion that somehow this is a religious symbol, a Quranic requirement, is nonsense."

In a breakdown of the regions, those in the North of England and Wales are most in favour of prohibiting the burqa - with 71 per cent saying they would support such a move.

Those in London looked to be the most tolerant, with 32 per cent either disagreeing or strongly disagreeing on a ban.

Following the capital was Scotland, where 30 per cent of people did not agree with outlawing the Islamic garment.

The total sample size of the survey was 2,205 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between July 14 and 16 and was carried out online. – TradeArabia News Service