I don't think people should... say 'you can't fall in love and marry this person'

Aziz

Aziz said: "If I could find somebody within my community, within this country, who had the same background, the same cultural beliefs, the same everything, then I would marry them.

"But I haven't. So does that mean I end up single for the rest of my life?"

Green card

Aziz rejects any suggestion that his bride-to-be is not as eligible as a woman raised in Britain and the implication that she should not leave Pakistan to join him.

He said: "My fianc�e speaks English fluently. My fianc�e has a bachelor of business administration. My fianc�e has a green card."

Aziz, who expects his fianc�e to join him after their wedding in August, says Mr Blunkett's comments interfere with his right to choose his own partner.

He said: "I don't think people should turn round to us and say 'you can't fall in love and marry this person' or 'you can't fall in love and marry someone else'."

Marriage bureau

Aziz's view is backed by Prague Bagava, who runs an Asian marriage bureau which introduces hundreds of couples to each other every year.

Criticising Mr Blunkett, he said: "He's directly impacting on Asian culture and Asian life and something which is a very important part of Asian family and that is marriage.

"I don't think one person in the government has the right to make the choice or decision that you can't go or shouldn't bring your partner from abroad to find a partner here."