A new Government strategy will toughen up English tests on new arrivals

David Cameron today backed the right of schools and courts to ban people from wearing the veil in some circumstances, while insisting a nationwide ban would not be the right thing to do.

The Prime Minister said generally people should be 'free to wear what they like' and within limits live their lives as they choose.

But as he unveiled new policies for tackling extremism and segregation within migrant communities - primarily today based around English classes - Mr Cameron said he would support 'sensitive' policies requiring people to show their face.

David Cameron, pictured today attending an English language class at the Shantona Women's Centre, said people who come to Britain to marry could be told to leave if they fail to make progress in learning English

Mr Cameron visited the Makkah Mosque in Leeds to talk to community groups about his new policies on the English language

Mr Cameron's remarks, in a BBC interview earlier today, were followed by criticism that he risked 'stigmatising' Muslim women with his 'clumsy' policy announcements.

Asked about the veil today, Mr Cameron said: 'I think in our country people should be free to wear what they like, within limits live how they like, and all the rest of it.

'What does matter is if, for instance, a school has a uniform policy, sensitively put in place and all the rest of it, and people want to flout that uniform policy, often for reasons that aren't connected to religion, you should always come down on the side of the school.'

Mr Cameron added: 'When you are coming into contact with an institution or you're in court, or if you need to be able to see someone's face at the border, then I will always back the authority and institution that have put in place proper and sensible rules.

'Going for the more sort of French approach of banning an item of clothing, I don't think that's the way we do things in this country and I don't think that would help.'

France eventually banned full face veils in 2010 following many years of discussion.

The Prime Minister unveiled a series of new policies today which include a threat of deportation to people who arrive in Britain to marry if they fail to make progress in learning English.

The policy applies to all migrants arriving on a spousal visa but the Prime Minister was told he risked stigmatising the Muslim community with his 'simplistic' approach.

Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham said Mr Cameron had to take 'more care' while former Tory Party chairwoman Baroness Warsi questioned why Muslims were targeted - pointing out this was neither a nationality or a language.

Mr Cameron defended his proposals in a major radio interview, insisting the point of the plans was to eliminate segregation in Britain. A fund worth £20million is also being created for targeted English lessons for isolated women in communities.

David Cameron said he did not back an outright ban on the veil in Britain (file image)

He visited the Shantona Women's Centre and the Makkah Mosque, both in Leeds, to meet community groups and promote his plans.

But Mr Burnham said: 'In his desire to grab easy headlines, David Cameron risks doing more harm than good. His clumsy and simplistic approach to challenging extremism is unfairly stigmatising a whole community.

'There is a real danger that it could end up driving further radicalisation, rather than tackling it.

'The Prime Minister is right to talk about empowering women but his emphasis should be on women of all faiths and none. His commitment to English classes is welcome but people will ask why his Government has spent the last few years cutting funding from these vital courses.

'Tackling extremism is the greatest challenge of our age. We are willing to work with the Government to get it right. But it is a deep-rooted and complex problem and requires a more sophisticated approach than we have seen to date and a stronger sense of partnership with the Muslim community.

'David Cameron must proceed with more care and thought than he is currently showing and Labour will continue to challenge him to get the balance and tone right.'

Baroness Warsi questioned why English lessons were being presented in a counter extremism strategy, insisting this was less important than language skills are to getting a job and helping with homework.

She tweeted: 'Why should it just be Muslim women who have the opportunity to learn English? Why not anyone who lives in the UK and can't speak English.'

Mr Cameron visited the Makkah Masjid Mosque to meet community groups and outline his new policies on tackling segregation inside British communities

The Tory peer added: 'Mum's English isn't great yet she inspired her girls to become a lawyer, teacher, accountant, pharmacist, cabinet minister.'

Mr Cameron today said people who arrive in Britain to marry should improve their English within two and a half years or face being asked to leave - even if they have children while they are here.

The Prime Minister said tests will be introduced to check progress on migrants who arrive in Britain on a spousal visa and failure will mean there are no guarantees an individual will be allowed to stay.

Mr Cameron said the new push on language skills was part of a wider strategy to prevent extremism in isolated communities - insisting 'segregation needs to go'.

Some £20million will be available specifically to help women who are isolated in communities which have not integrated properly in Britain.

Former Tory party chairwoman Baroness Warsi questioned the presentation of policies to encourage migrants to Britain to learn English

Baroness Warsi said there was no reason for the policy to just be targeted at Muslim women when anyone in the UK who did not speak English would benefit

She added her own mum had spoken little English but still raised successful children in Britain

In a BBC Radio 4 Today interview, Mr Cameron said: 'This is about building a more integrated, cohesive, one nation country where there is genuine opportunity for people.

'Of course, if you don't speak the language your opportunities are very much reduced.'

Mr Cameron said the message to new arrivals to Britain was 'learning English is essential'.

On the new tests, Mr Cameron said: 'It is not just Muslim women.

'It is when people come under a spousal visa because they are marrying someone who is already here then after two and a half years they should be improving their English and we will be testing that.'

The new policy will be implemented in October and will apply to recent arrivals.

The Prime Minister said: 'I'm not blaming the people who can't speak English - some of these people have come to our country from quite patriarchal societies where perhaps the menfolk haven't wanted them to learn English, haven't wanted them to integrate.

'What we've found in some of the work we've done looking around our country - school governors meetings where the men sit in the meeting and the women have to sit outside.

'Women who aren't allowed to leave their home without a male relative - this is happening in our country and it's not acceptable.

'We should be proud of our values, our liberalism, our tolerance, our idea we want to build a genuine opportunity democracy.

'I think in many ways we are one of the most successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith democracies anywhere in the world.

'But where there is segregation, it's holding people back, it's not in tune with British values and it needs to go.'

Mr Cameron, pictured leaving the BBC today, outlined his new policies today in a radio interview before travelling to Leeds

Asked what would happen if people who arrive and have children fail the test, Mr Cameron added: 'They can't guarantee they will be able to stay because under our rules... half way through the five year spousal settlement programme, two and a half years, there will be another opportunity to make sure your English is improving.'

Mr Cameron insisted he was not saying there was a 'causal' connection between English skills and extremism.

But he added: 'That would be a ridiculous thing to say. But if you're not able to speak English, not able to integrate, then you may find therefore you have challenges understanding what your identity is.

'Therefore you could be more susceptible to the extremist message from Daesh.

'It's not a causal connection but if we're going to help young people to be resilient against the appalling messages of Daesh.'

Mr Cameron has also called on Muslim mothers to become more powerful moderating forces in their communities to help stop young men, including their sons, turning to terrorism.

A significant minority of women from the Muslim community do not speak English, leaving them isolated from the rest of society, say officials.

In an article published in The Times today, Mr Cameron criticises the 'passive tolerance' of discrimination against women within the Muslim community.

He will also announce a review of the role of religious courts – including sharia courts – to confront men who exert 'damaging control over their wives, sisters and daughters'.

The Tory leader says it is time to be 'more assertive about our liberal values, more clear about the expectations we place on those who come to live here and build our country together and more creative and generous in the work we do to break down barriers'.

Writing in The Times, he adds: 'This is Britain. In this country women and girls are free to choose how they live, how they dress and who they love.

DAVID CAMERON DEFENDS UK ROLE IN SAUDI ARABIA David Cameron today defended the relationship between Britain and Saudi Arabia when asked if the Kingdom was helping to drive extremism. The Prime Minister said the Saudis recognised a need to ensure it was not funding educational programmes around the world which did not drive extremism. He said: 'If at the same time money from states is funding educational programmes that can incubate a sense one religion is right and another is wrong, or anti-Semitic materials or what have you, we need to look very closely at that and that's exactly what we are doing. 'I think Saudi Arabia and other countries know that is an area that they need to look at.' Mr Cameron said the links with Saudi were crucial to British security and defended the role Britain was playing in Yemen. He said: 'They are opponents of Daesh and extremist terrorism that is causing such damage in our world. 'When it comes to Yemen, we support the legitimate government of Yemen and work with others in order to try and help that country have the stability it needs. 'In terms of our arms sales, I think we have some of the most stringent controls anywhere in the world and I will always make sure they are properly operated.' He added: 'We are trying to do everything we can to make sure the work done by Saudi Arabia (in Yemen) is properly targeted. 'It's right we should do that.' Advertisement

'It's our values that make this country what it is, and it's only by standing up for them assertively that they will endure.'

Mr Cameron has argued privately that one reason young Muslim men can turn to fanaticism is their mothers do not have a stronger role in their communities and are unable to argue against the influence of extremists.

Without English, he will say, Muslim women are limited in their ability to find work and otherwise interact with society.

Official figures suggest around 700 people from the UK have travelled to join Islamic State or other jihadi groups in Syria and Iraq – although some experts believe the true total could be three times higher. The vast majority are young men.

Ministers are also considering plans to make it harder for migrants to remain in Britain with only limited English.

In the Tory manifesto, Mr Cameron promised that anyone who arrives in the UK on a family visa with basic English will be required to become more fluent over time – by having to sit tougher language tests when applying for a visa extension.

In his New Year message, the PM pledged to end the appeasement of Islamist extremism, and demanded that everyone in Britain show 'loyalty' to the country and its values.

In a stark warning, he said 2016 will be a 'test of our mettle' in the battle against radicals with a 'seething hatred' of this country and the West.

And he said anyone who walks the streets of Britain must subscribe to its values, including freedom and tolerance.

Last year the PM commissioned a major review on integration in communities cut off from the rest of society.

The study, by the former head of the Government's troubled families unit, is expected to deliver some 'hard truths' to the Muslim community and suggest ways to 'boost opportunity and integration'.

Ministers are also expected to publish a counter-extremism Bill next month to set out new powers for combating radicalism.

Mr Cameron has warned of the dangers posed by people in Britain who 'quietly condone' the extremist ideology of Islamic State, without explicitly supporting violence. In a major speech on extremism in July last year, Mr Cameron warned that young Muslims may be turning to terrorism because they grow up in insular communities and have no 'allegiance' to the UK.