A British leading female Muslim lawmakers has sparked controversy after she remarked Monday that she hoped Islamic face veils will disappear from Britain within the next 20 years.

Sayeeda Warsi, Lawyer and member of the House of Lords, noted that she did not want the Islamic veil to be banned by a decree but encourages “British Muslims to lead the charge”.

Warsi has recently defended the wearing of niqab but said Monday that she did not “know what its purpose is in terms of British Islam.”

She also made clear that wearing the Islamic veil is not a “British manifestation”.

Warsi went on to describe the philosophy of hijab in her view: “if you were running through the desert it was good because you didn’t get sand in your face.”

“I sincerely hope we’re heading in that direction where [veils] won’t be … part of the landscape,” she added.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also voiced similar comments, when she told her party members on Dec 6, 2016 that Germany should ban full-face veils “wherever legally possible”.

Merkel told party members “full veiling is not appropriate here” adding that a fully veiled woman “scarcely has a chance at full integration in Germany.”

The news came two weeks after Austria banned wearing a full facial veil in public places, moving towards some other European countries that see expressions of Muslim identity as contrary to Western values.

The decision, however, received criticism from rights activists and representatives of Austria’s Muslim community.

Sevgi Kircil, a member of Austria’s Muslim community, responded to the new ban, describing it as a reckless “intervention in religious freedom and the freedom of expression.”