LONDON, Nov 18: British Prime Minister Tony Blair underlined the need for more Muslim MPs in the United Kingdom. In the meeting, held at the Little London community primary school with a group of 50 young people aged between 16 and 25, Mr Blair discussed the challenges facing young British Muslims.

The meeting looked at ways of finding a community-led response to extremism — part of a long-term partnership between the British government and the communities.

Other topics included education, the role of religion, what it meant to be British and the way the media reported terrorism and Islam.

The students, who mainly came from the Leeds area, were gathered around small tables in the community centre and the prime minister passed between them listening to their concerns.

Mr Blair said: “What we heard today were extremely articulate young people. You have also got to want to get engaged, to push yourselves forward and it’s our job then to make sure the doors are open, but in a sense it’s your job to go and walk through them.” He said the only way to tackle extremism within communities was when young people took up the challenge to confront it.