THE Labour MP Ann Cryer has remained defiant in her conviction that immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh should learn English.

Her comments, in the wake of

serious rioting in Bradford, have attracted criticism from within her own party and from some Asian spokesmen.

Mrs Cryer's Keighley and Ilkley constituency contains a large Asian minority in Keighley.

She says she is convinced that the practice of Asians in this country bringing in spouses from abroad who did not speak the language was hampering the chances of children in the education system.

"Asian parents should consider arranging marriages for their children with Asian Muslims brought up and educated in the UK which would avoid the present importation of poverty into the families and avoid the problems for the next generation," said Mrs Cryer.

Although in line with immigration policies of many countries including the USA, Canada and The Netherlands, Mrs Cryer has faced a storm of criticism.

She said her comments were in line with problems identified in Sir Herman Ouseley's report on Bradford's race relations.

Mrs Cryer said: "I am encouraged to express all this by Lord Ouseley's comments on the fear of talking openly and honestly about problems

" He has helped me overcome my own fear of verbal abuse from the so-called 'leaders' among the Asian community and the politically correct whites. The 'Thought Police' are still active."

Speaking on the causes of the riots, Mrs Cryer added: "There is no point blaming the situation on racism or Islamophobia. We must, instead, look in detail at what causes the under-achievement.

"The main reason is a lack of a good level of English which stems from the now established tradition of bringing wives and husbands from the sub-continent, often with no education and no English."