THE Government is to step up its efforts to take on "poisonous" far-right groups like the British National Party.

Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly, MP for Bolton West, accused far-right extremists of promoting violence and division by peddling "myths and misconceptions" about Britain's multi-racial society.

And she said that strong leadership was needed to correct "gross falsehoods" spread by extremist groups, particularly during election campaigns such as last year's local authority polls, when the BNP doubled its number of councillors to 52.

Ms Kelly was speaking at the launch of a new report highlighting English language skills as the key to helping immigrants integrate into British society.

The interim report by the Commission on Integration and Cohesion suggested proposals to require spouses from overseas to pass an English test before joining their partners in the UK.

And it suggested translation services for migrants should be scaled back to allow a greater focus on English language tuition.

Ms Kelly indicated support for the commission's argument that translation services should not remove the need for migrants to learn the language of their new home.

And she said she will "study carefully" their other recommendations when she is presented with a final report in June.

But she told the launch, at Charlton Athletic Football Club London, that efforts to help newcomers integrate must go hand-in-hand with a struggle against the far-right to "win the hearts and minds" of communities from all racial backgrounds.

She said extremists are targeting both traditional white communities and settled ethnic minority groups.

"These are the communities that far-right extremists are determined to divide through the exploitation of myths and misperceptions," she said.

"The far-right is still with us, still poisonous."

She highlighted claims in last year's campaign that Dagenham and Barking council in East London was offering Africans £50,000 to buy homes and that a library in Tipton, West Midlands, was being turned into a mosque - both of which she said were untrue.

"As far-fetched as these myths can be, it's not always so easy to deal with them," said Ms Kelly.