Sharia comes to Leicester

Do you remember Sabina Begum? She's the muslim schoolgirl who took her state school to court and, with the help of one Cherie Booth, QC, won the right to swathe herself in full muslim dress even though it was against school uniform policy. She claimed that the head teacher and governors of Denbigh High School in Luton were denying her the "right to education and to manifest her religious beliefs".

Well, now we learn from the Leicester Mercury that an Islamic school in Leicester is going to require all female students to wear headscarves regardless of their religion. Madani High School, a voluntary-aided state school will

"have a uniform and, in our case, that will include a head scarf.When you go to any school, you know what the school uniform will be and the choice is there."

When Sabina Begum went to her school she knew there was a uniform code - one that even made allowances for muslim dress - but that didn't stop her kicking up a fuss.

Hussein Suleman, the city council's education spokesman, said he did not think non-Muslim parents would be put off sending their children to the school, adding he hoped "discretion" would be used if there was disagreement.

Rather than stomping off to court with the Prime Minister's wife as your brief, you mean?

"At the same time, parents have a right to send or not to send their children to this school."

In other words, if you don't like it take your kids elsewhere - s'funny, why didn't they say that to Sabina Begum? That's not the school talking by the way - that was Leicester City Council's education spokesman.

At least Mrs Booth is going to have some work to do after Tone drops off the scene.