Politicians on both sides of parliament have distanced themselves from Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s comments on the burqa, calling them ‘dumb’, ‘disappointing’ and ‘divisive’.

Speaking in Canberra on Wednesday, Mr Abbott said the burqa was a “fairly confronting form of attire and frankly I wish it weren’t worn”.

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Labor leader Bill Shorten said Mr Abbott’s comments were disappointing, claiming he should not have “editorialised his own opinion”.

“When he says that a particular set of clothes or customs make him uncomfortable, it’s different from the person in the street saying it to the leader of Australia,” Mr Shorten said on ABC’s Lateline program.

“I think he missed an opportunity to build social cohesion and I think he’s – I think he’ll need to do more on the social cohesion front than what he did today.”

Attorney General George Brandis was quick to distance himself from the comments, saying “there could be no greater error than for Australians to demonise our fellow Islamic citizens”.

“I have no concerns with Muslims wearing the burqa and I don’t have a preference either because frankly it’s none of [my] business,” Mr Brandis said during a National Press Club address.

Labor MP and former Minister for Immigration Tony Burke praised Mr Brandis’ comments but criticised Mr Abbott’s anti-burqa stance as “a dumb call”.

“People feel hurt because he’s prime minister of Australia. People are not being brought together in a way that Australia needs more than ever,” Mr Burke said on Sky News.

“Tony Abbott handled it in a way that in no way advances us as a country.”