Ann Cryer should be prosecuted for her outspoken stance on immigration, a Muslim councillor claimed today.

The Keighley MP made the controversial comments in the wake of the Bradford disturbances and publication of Lord Ouseley's report describing a district driven by fear and mutual suspicion.

She said Bradford Muslim families were 'importing poverty' by marrying people from the Indian sub-continent who arrived with no English language skills.

And her solution was to English language speaking a condition of entry to Britain.

Now, Burnley Liberal Democrat councillor Mozaquir Ali has said she ought to be prosecuted.

Mr Ali, representing Burnley Asians Against Racial Disharmony, said: "Let's have Ann Cryer prosecuted for inciting racism, that is what in my view she is doing. To say to a young man that he must marry a person who speaks English is absolute rubbish. You are interfering with the personal lives of people."

But Ann Cryer was today standing by her comments. "I have enormous affection and respect for my Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities and I stand by what I said and to say I'm racist is totally wrong."