An MP today sparked a storm by claiming that the Pakistani and Bangladeshi tradition of marrying people from the Indian sub-continent is importing poverty to families.

Keighley MP Ann Cryer urged Muslim families to stop arranged marriages with spouses who cannot speak English.

But former Lord Mayor of Bradford Mohammed Ajeeb said the Labour MP had taken a "shallow argument" too far.

Mrs Cryer called on the Asian community to arrange more marriages between Anglo-Asians.

"But if things don't change we must think about requiring would-be spouses to have a language qualification," she said today.

She has urged Home Secretary David Blunkett to consider restrictions on non-English speaking immigrants, regardless of race or religion. She stressed there should be no language bar on elderly relatives joining families.

Mrs Cryer said Lord Ouseley's race review - published today - pointed out the same problems.

It reported that inter-continental marriages mean that around 50 per cent of marriages taking place in Bradford's Asian community involved new residents unable to communicate in English. It limited their participation in mainstream social and educational activities.

Mrs Cryer said: "I'm asking the Asian community to take responsibility for this issue themselves. I think what Lord Ouseley has reported is very fair and on this issue moves in the right direction. Families are importing poverty. The community is holding back progress both economically and educationally."

But Mr Ajeeb retorted: "It is ridiculous to suggest that a few people who are getting married in Pakistan are holding the whole community back. The number of people getting married overseas is quite small and I think Ann Cryer is totally over-reacting.

"I think it is a very shallow argument and the issues are far more complex."

Mr Ajeeb said that there were deeper concerns regarding race and communities.

"To say that people from Pakistan and Bangladesh don't have language skills and this is holding the community back is ridiculous. At least one person will speak English in the couple.

"I think Ann Cryer has gone too far. I agreed with her to a certain extent when she was campaigning on the issue of forced marriage but I think she is wrong on this.

"She is just using this opportunity to make a point about forced marriages."

Mr Ajeeb also said there was nothing new in the Race Review.

"I don't agree with Lord Herman Ouseley's views either," he added.

"The report doesn't tell us anything new. It has failed to comprehend the real complexities in Bradford. It speaks of self-segregation. Does that mean Ravenscliffe and Holme Wood are also segregated along racial lines and if so, why?

"Hasn't anyone realised the similarities between Asian youths in Manningham and those rampaging in Holme Wood? Where were youths from Baildon and Ilkley?"

He also said he had warned about these issues years ago.

"Even in politics there is segregation and I warned that there were too many Asian councillors in the inner-city areas and only white councillors in the suburbs who don't understand each other. Even in politics there is ghettoisation."