Prime Minister David Cameron branded the far-right English Defence League “hateful” during a visit to Yorkshire today.

He said the resignation of EDL leader Tommy Robinson and its co-founder Kevin Carroll proved how extremist the organisation was. The pair stepped down on Tuesday, with Mr Robinson saying he was concerned over “the dangers of far-right extremism”.

Mr Cameron told the Telegraph & Argus: “I think the EDL is a hateful organisation and I think the recent resignations indicate what an extremist organisation it is.”

Bradford Council leader David Green had written to Mr Cameron calling on him to tighten up the legislation around the EDL’s demonstrations. In response, Mr Cameron said: “The police are allowed to ban marches on certain grounds, that’s set in law.”

He said: “As a country we have to balance the right to protest with the right of everyone else to go about their daily lives.”

The Prime Minister was in Yorkshire to celebrate the part it is playing in the country’s economic recovery, saying in the past year the region’s businesses had created more jobs than anywhere outside London.

Mr Cameron spoke to trainee Marcus Foster, of Bradford, in the plastering department during a visit to North Halifax Skills Centre Construction Academy.