Speak English, demands postmaster

Deva Kumarasiri, 40, told his customers at Sneinton Boulevard Post Office in Nottingham that it is imperative they speak English otherwise he cannot understand them.

The post office, which is attached to a shop, is in a culturally diverse area of the city, but Mr Kumarasiri believes everyone coming to the UK should be able to speak the native language.

The father-of-two came to Britain from Sri Lanka 18 years ago. He said: "I've always thought I'm a British person. We have a situation now where British culture is going down so I decided it's time somebody had to put it right.

"My feeling is that when you move to a different country you have to respect the flag and the language, but that has gone. I give my country a service and it's necessary for me to learn and understand the language.

"People have to speak the language otherwise they cannot give a proper service. It's making people understand that we have to learn a common language.

"Everything is written in English, the law is written in English. If people can't understand, they can't read and they can't write, how can they support this country? Working class people, whether we are white, black or Asian, we're all proud to be British. We want to say that to everybody."

Mr Kumarasiri said his idea not to serve customers who could not speak English was popular in the local community.

Ina Norgate, 49, from Sneinton, said: "I agree with him. It's a bit ignorant to come here and not speak the language. If you went to France you would have to learn French."

But Mohammed Ahmed, 22, from Sneinton, said: "This is a multicultural society and this is not right really. If they come here to work, it's their right to stay here even if they speak their own language. Some people can't speak English but they can learn the language once they come here."