A LEADING member of Swindon's Muslim community believes that forcing immigrants to swear allegiance to the Queen will make no difference to race relations in Britain.

And the Labour leader of a race equality group in Swindon has also described the suggestion as being divisive.

Muslim leader Khan Nawaz, who has lived in this country for 38 years, was widely praised in September for his calls for calm following the New York and Washington atrocities.

He spoke after an Asian woman was the subject to a brutal street attack in the days following the terrorist outrage. A Sikh temple being built in Swindon was also damaged by vandals.

The 71-year-old said today: "We declare our allegiance to Britain when we take out British nationality and there is no need for a second oath. By living in this society, this community, this town we have proved our allegiance to Britain."

He was commenting on proposals contained in the Cantle Report into the race riots which during the summer caused damage totalling million of pounds in Oldham and Bradford.

Ted Cantle, who chaired the inquiry into the riots, said Britain needed to establish "a meaningful concept of citizenship" which established a primary loyalty to this country while recognising the contribution made by ethnic cultures.

The president of Swindon Council for Racial Equality, Coun Steve Allsopp (Lab, Parks) said: "I believe this call for a compulsory oath of allegiance is reactionary and unnecessary.

"It's politically divisive. The Government should concentrate on those areas which produce separation and segregation that aren't caused by the immigrant population but by the way in which resources have been allocated."

He said Swindon CRE had always supported the idea of giving immigrant groups an opportunity to improve their language skills.

"But making it a precondition is wrong, particularly if people are coming here to escape genuine persecution."

Earlier this week the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, called for members of ethnic minority groups to learn English, adopt British norms and end forced marriages.