The former justice secretary Ken Clarke has rekindled the debate about wearing veils in court by claiming that a proper trial is impossible if a defendant is "in a kind of bag".
Clarke, who is now minister without portfolio, said a judge and jury had to see a defendant's full face to assess whether they were telling the truth.
"I don't think a witness should be allowed to give evidence from behind a veil," Clarke told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend.
Clarke, a barrister and the coalition's justice secretary until last year, said body language and facial expression were key factors in assessing the credibility of witnesses and defendants. [The Guardian] Read more
