The government’s Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly has said that tensions between people of different ethnic groups and faiths in Britain must be tackled. Kelly’s comments come as she launched a ‘Commission on Integration and Cohesion’, whereby she urged for a new and “honest” debate to take place on diversity.

The new Commission will commence its work in September, and is a fresh initiative investigating how communities in England tackle tensions and extremism.

One thing that the body will not look into, however, is whether faith schools are a good thing, and she continues her persistence is emphasising that parents should have a choice.

As the terrorist threat continues to loom over Britain, the government has planned to build more faith schools, but has faced opposition from those that say it could lead to an increase in segregation between those of different faiths.