'Britishness' test for foreign preachers

Foreign clerics who want to preach in Britain could be forced to pass a "Britishness" test.

They would have to answer questions on taxes, the welfare state, history and parliament - and prove their commitment to building bridges with other faiths. The tests, though applied to clerics of all religions, will be seen as bid to keep out fundamentalist Muslim preachers who oppose western values.

Churches, mosques and synagogues have long been allowed to import clerics if they cannot recruit them locally. Since last year, they must pass an English language test.

Muslim leaders were initially sceptical about the latest Home Office plan.

Muslim Council of Britain spokesman Ibrahim Mogra said: "The Muslim community are going to read a lot between the lines. Not all imams being employed from abroad are preaching extremist views. If they are found to ... there is a judicial system in this country to deal with it."