🔗 Share this article

Keir Starmer has condemned the shadow justice secretary's remarks about not seeing another white face in areas of Birmingham, stating the MP was hard to take seriously.

Leadership Campaign Claims

The prime minister suggested that his comments were part of a stealth Conservative bid for leadership and said he did not believe they painted a true picture the area 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 accused of fuelling a wave of divisive sentiment after he doubled down on his complaint despite criticism from individuals including the ex-Tory mayor of the West Midlands, the former mayor.

Local Response and Support

Starmer, who did not directly engage the comments, said he had agreed with Street's criticisms of the MP.

• The former mayor had stated to BBC Newsnight the comments were incorrect and described the area 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, defended Jenrick, saying he had made a factual statement and that there was nothing wrong with making observations.

But she also told the program: 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

The shadow chancellor became the initial high-ranking Conservative to disassociate from Jenrick over the statements, informing a gathering that they were not words that I would have used.

Jenrick repeatedly informed journalists at the conference that he stood by the comments and did not retract them as it would be wrong to shut down an important debate that we have to have as a country about integration.

When a Sky News journalist suggested that his remarks could encourage extremist organizations, he said it was an absolutely disgraceful and ridiculous inquiry.

Original Remarks

In his original remarks, the MP said Handsworth was one of the worst integrated places I’ve ever been to. Specifically, in the hour and a half he was recording in the area he didn’t see another white face.

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.