House of Lords supports Muslim dress ban

Luton Borough Council's legal team has won a victory in the House of Lords, supporting a school's decision to exclude a pupil wearing Muslim dress.

Shabina Begum was excluded from Denbigh High School in Luton for wearing a jilbab. The Court of Appeal ruled that the school had violated the Human Rights act. However this was overturned by the House of Lords today which said that as long as the school followed the correct procedures it did not fall foul of the law.

Luton Borough Council in-house lawyer Javed Iqbal advised Denbigh and instructed Richard McManus QC of 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square.

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert also succeeded in winning a House of Lords case today that looks at the role of the Human Rights Act in educational disputes.

Lord Grey School in Milton Keynes excluded Abdul Ali after a fire at the school which it considered to be arson. Ali’s claim for damages under the 1998 Human Rights Act was defeated with the House of Lords overturning the Court of Appeal judgment.

BLG partner David Knapp advised Lord Grey School and instructed Edward Faulks QC of 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square.

Both pupils were represented by Cherie Booth QC of Matrix Chambers, who was instructed by the Children's Legal Centre and Sharpe Pritchard.