Conservative leader Michael Howard is to urge immigrants to take on board the British way of life

BBC News:

It is important to focus on the "ties that bind us", rather than "what divides us", he will say in a speech to the Policy Exchange think tank.

Mr Howard will emphasise democracy, the monarchy, history and the rule of law.

The remarks come a week after Commission for Racial Equality head Trevor Philips warned the UK could become a US-style "segregated society".

Mr Howard, himself the son of an immigrant, will demand everyone who comes to Britain is taught English.

He will add: "Perhaps one of the mistakes we have made in recent years is a tendency to place too much emphasis on the need to encourage the retention of attachment to other traditions, and not enough on the British identity we all share.

"Rather than cherishing the ties that bind us, we have been focusing on what divides us."

All British children, whatever their religion or colour, need "a sense of pride in our institutions and our way of life", the outgoing Conservative leader is expected to say.

To tackle terrorism, Mr Howard will recommend a dedicated minister for homeland security, an overhaul of the asylum system and a border police force.

He will also renew his call for phone-tap evidence to be admissible in court.

But he will repeat his concerns over government plans to allow terror suspects to be detained for three months and for a new offence of glorifying terrorism.

Last week, Trevor Phillips said the UK must enforce "equality, participation and interaction" to avoid US-style segregation.

It was worrying that "younger Britons appear to be integrating less well than their parents", he added.

Immigrants 'should be more British'