🔗 Share this article

The Prime Minister has condemned Robert Jenrick's statements about not seeing another white face in parts of Handsworth, suggesting the politician was hard to take seriously.

Leadership Campaign Claims

Starmer implied that Jenrick's comments were linked to a stealth Tory bid for leadership and said he did not believe they painted a true picture the neighborhood of Handsworth.

I find it difficult to regard Robert Jenrick's statements as credible; he's obviously continuing his leadership campaign.

The shadow justice secretary has been criticized for igniting a fire of toxic nationalism after he doubled down on his remarks despite backlash from figures including the ex-Tory mayor of the West Midlands, the former mayor.

Local Response and Defense

The prime minister, who did not directly engage the comments, said he had supported Andy Street's criticisms of the MP.

• The former mayor had told BBC Newsnight the comments were wrong and described Handsworth as a highly cohesive community.
• I think that what Andy Street said was right, Starmer said. Having served as mayor for an extended period, Andy Street possesses deep familiarity with the locality.

The Conservative leader, supported him, saying he had made a truthful observation and that there was nothing wrong with making observations.

But she also told BBC Breakfast: I don’t think this is where the debate should be, about how many faces people see on the street and what they look like.

Party Disagreements

Mel Stride became the initial high-ranking Conservative to distance himself from his colleague over the statements, informing a Politico fringe event that they were phrases I would have avoided.

Jenrick repeatedly told journalists at the event that he supported the comments and did not resile from them as it would be wrong to shut down an important debate that the nation needs to engage in about integration.

When a reporter put it to him that his comments could embolden extremist organizations, Jenrick said it was an completely unacceptable and absurd question.

Original Remarks

In his original remarks, Jenrick said Handsworth was one of the worst integrated places I’ve ever been to. In fact, in the hour and a half he was recording in the area he observed no other white individuals.

That’s not the kind of country I want to live in. I want to live in a country where people are properly integrated. It’s not about the colour of your skin or your faith – of course it isn’t. But I want people to be living alongside each other, not parallel lives. That’s not the right way we want to live as a country.