David Cameron warns migrants to learn English or face "being kicked out" of Britain

People who arrive in Britain to marry should improve their English within two and a half years or face being asked to leave, David Cameron has said.

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 - even if they have children.

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.

Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham today attacked Mr Cameron's strategy as 'simplistic' and 'headline driven'. 

In a BBC radio 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.' 

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.