British Prime Minister Theresa May has scolded her former foreign minister, Boris Johnson, for saying that Muslim women who wear burqas look like letter boxes or bank robbers.
Johnson, who resigned last month over the way May is negotiating Brexit, wrote in The Daily Telegraph this week that Denmark was wrong to ban the burqa, a head-to-toe cloak which conceals the face with a mesh or is worn in conjuction with the niqab - a face veil that leaves only the eyes exposed.
But Johnson also said the robe was oppressive, ridiculous and made women look like letter boxes and bank robbers, prompting an outcry from other politicians and British Muslim groups.
"I think Boris Johnson used language in describing people's appearance that has obviously caused offence. It was the wrong language to use. He should not have used it," May said.
She added that women should be free to wear the burqa if they chose to do so.
Full-face coverings such as niqabs and burqas are a polarising issue across Europe, with some arguing that they symbolise discrimination against women and should be outlawed. The clothing has already been banned in France.
Sayeeda Warsi, the senior Muslim Conservative member of the House of Lords, wrote a scathing critique in the Guardian on Wednesday, criticizing Johnson for his Islamophobic article in the Daily Telegraph.
Johnson has come under heavy fire after he compared Muslim women, who wear the niqab, to bank robbers and letterboxes in an article in the Daily Telegraph.
"So, as much as Johnson thinks he's being his usual clever self, he's helping to create an environment in which hate crime is more likely," she added.
Warsi also argued there is a pattern in which Muslim women are an easy way to make and further an argument that will enhance the interests of certain politicians in some sections of the media, party and society.
The senior Tory peer also said that the former foreign secretary had set a precedent for other right-wing lawmakers and that his refusal to apologize would inspire others alike to use such derogatory remarks and inflammatory attacks without fearing any action being taken by the party.
"An apology is now due," Warsi demanded and said if the apology would not come it will give a message that "you can get away with Islamophobia."
"If my party follows up on a demand for an apology with real action then these comments would eventually become rare," she added.
Previously, Johnson faced calls from Prime Minister Theresa May and Conservative party chairman Brandon Lewis to apologize for incendiary remarks.
Furthermore, the Muslim Council of Britain wrote a public letter urging the Tories to address the growing problem if Islamophobia in the party and to respond to serious concerns regarding this issue.
Johnson resigned as foreign secretary last month over disagreements with Theresa May and her Chequer's Plan that sets out the U.K.'s relationship with the EU after Brexit.
