May says UK cannot cope with migration levels

More than a decade of "uncontrolled mass immigration" has strained communities, put pressure on public services, depressed wages and is driving up house prices, the Home Secretary said.

Theresa May pointed to this week's census figures as evidence that Britain was undergoing profound change – and claimed the country could not cope with immigration continuing at recent levels. Her provocative comments came as she set out plans to toughen the checks on student visas by announcing that more than 100,000 a year will undergo face-to-face interviews before they are allowed into Britain.

Ms May said: "You only have to look at London, where almost half of all primary school children speak English as a second language, to see the challenges we now face as a country to build an integrated, cohesive society. How can people build relationships with their neighbours if they can't even speak the same language?"