Theresa May has defended her controversial speech on immigration, saying the issue "matters to people".

The Home Secretary faced an angry backlash from business leaders, charities and opponents as she announced a sharp tightening of rules on asylum earlier this week.

Questioned about the address today, Mrs May insisted it was "important to reiterate the issues around high levels of immigration".

She said: "If you go and talk to members of the public this is a real concern for people and they need to see that politicians and government recognise the issue and [are] willing to do something about it.

"I thought it was important to say what government should be doing in these areas because it does matter to people."

In her speech to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Mrs May declared the UK "does not need" large numbers of foreign arrivals, warning they are putting British workers out of a job, forcing down wages and making it impossible to create a "cohesive society".

But the Institute of Directors accused her of "vilifying" migrants for party political reasons, and branded her claims about their impact on the economy as "nonsense".

Appearing at the Women in the World conference in London today, Mrs May said: "This is an area where you have both heart and head because of course you are conscious of some of the terrible trauma people are going through.

"But on the other hand you have to make sure what you do in response is practical."

Britain's longest serving Home Secretary for more than 50 years was also quizzed about her uncompromising and direct style.

She said: "I think it is always easy to say something in order to be liked. It is harder to say or do something that might not be liked but do it because you think it is right."

Mrs May, who does not have children, said she did not believe the pressure of combining work and a family puts women off politics.

She said: "I think there are a couple of things. One is I think often women will look at what is the most seen part of politics which looks like rough and tumble and think 'maybe I can achieve in other ways'.

"And often women just need somebody to say to them 'I think you can do it'."

Asked about her wardrobe, which famously includes leopard-print heels, she said: "I am a woman and I like clothes and I like shoes.

"One of the challenges for women in politics, business and all areas of working life is actually to be ourselves. To say you can be clever and like clothes, you can have a career and like clothes."