Muslim leaders in Bradford have backed a politician’s claims that prejudice against Muslims has “passed the dinner-table test” and become widely socially acceptable in Britain.

Yesterday, Conservative chairman Baroness Warsi delivered a speech warning against the tendency to divide Muslims between “moderates” and “extremists”, which she said could fuel misunderstanding and intolerance.

And she blamed “the patronising, superficial way faith is discussed in certain quarters” for making Britain a less tolerant place for believers.

The Bradford Council for Mosques agreed that Muslims had a negative image in British society. A spokesman said: “The entire British Muslim community gets blamed for the misguided actions of a few. The gross misconceptions about Islam make British Muslims an easy target for blame.

“Against this background, the Muslim community is not taken seriously and its enormous contribution and achievements are dismissed.

“There need to be efforts on all sides to improve understanding of the Muslim way of life and Muslim contributions to the British society.

"The Muslim leadership must continue to distance themselves from the minority elements that may resort to violent or extremist game plans to achieve their misguided and unrepresentative goals."

Bradford West MP Marsha Singh said: “There is growing Islamaphobia and it has grown since 7/7 but what we need to do is make sure people keep it in perspective.

“In some measure I agree with Baroness Warsi’s comments. We need to tackle the issue in areas like Bradford to make sure it does not become a problem. Generally speaking in Bradford I think we are okay but every time something happens we need to make sure it is not a problem.”

Shipley MP Philip Davies said: “I believe in free speech and people can say what they think as people are perfectly entitled to express an opinion about anything they choose.

“That is what happens with free speech. It is not to say you agree with everything people say. I would be surprised and concerned if the chairman of the Conservative party was suggesting we remove free speech.”

Keighley MP Kris Hopkins said: “The need for a debate around equality for Muslim women and the issue of integration, along with a rational discussion addressing the real fears many people in the West have towards Islam and certain interpretations of Islam, can only meet with success when hatred does not form the principal motivation for taking part in that debate."