Keighley MP Ann Cryer had two hours of heated talks with Bradford Council's Labour group last night over comments she made about immigrants coming to Britain.

Mrs Cryer asked to explain her views to the Council's Labour hierarchy at a meeting at her home last night.

The group last week asked the party's national officials to investigate Mrs Cryer amid her statements calling for immigrants to speak English before coming to Britain. But today Mrs Cryer said the group had still not informed her of the contents of a resolution condemning her and deciding to write to the national party.

Last night, Mrs Cryer said she would now like immigrants to sign up for an English course if in five years' time the situation had not improved.

Her stance related particularly to husbands and wives who could not speak English coming to Britain when they married.

Mrs Cryer said it had been put to her by Labour councillors that some people in the Asian community felt the national tabloids had "demonised" them by taking some of her remarks out of context and misquoting her.

Mrs Cryer said her sole intention had been to improve the lot of the Asian community in Keighley.

Leader of the Labour group Councillor Ian Greenwood said: "We had a frank dialogue as comrades and shared our views. I hope we can maintain the dialogue in the Labour Party and reach accepted views."