Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick reacted angrily after being told his remarks about integration in Birmingham would be welcomed by the far-right
Tory Robert Jenrick lost his cool after being told his “white faces” remark could fuel the far right.
The Shadow Justice Secretary is under fire after a leaked recording revealed he told Conservative activists he did not see another white face in 90 minutes in Birmingham during a discussion on integration. He was asked to explain how he could tell if people were integrated into the UK based on the colour of their skin – while the Mayor the West Midlands has accused him of racism.
Mr Jenrick reacted angrily after being told his words “give support for groups on the far-right that don’t want to see brown and black people living in this country”. The under-fire Tory claimed the question was “disgraceful” during a furious exchange on Sky News.
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Mr Jenrick was recorded describing Handsworth in Birmingham as “as close as I’ve come to a slum in this country” and said it was “one of the worst integrated places I’ve ever been to”. He then said: “In fact, in the hour and a half I was filming news there I didn’t see another white face.”
Host Kamali Melbourne asked him: “I wonder how you can judge that a person is integrated by the by the colour of their skin being there for for 90 minutes.”
Mr Jenrick responded: “Well, look, I was very clear that it’s not about the colour of your skin or your faith.” The presenter butted in: “You didn’t see any white faces and that it made you feel like it wasn’t integrated.”
The top Tory – who lost out to Kemi Badenoch in last year’s leadership race – went on: “The point I was making is we want all people to be living side by side.
“We can’t have particular communities in this country where there’s a heavy preponderance of one group or another. We want people to be living in mixed communities, don’t we?
“I mean, I don’t know about you, but that’s that’s what I want to see in this country. That’s the kind of country I want my kids to be growing up in… there are huge strengths in that.”
Mr Melbourne said: “Robert Jenrick, you know, that that kind of language and usage, you say you’re putting your head above the parapet, but you’ll know that that kind of language does give support for groups on the far right that don’t want to see brown and black people living in this country. You know that don’t you?”
Mr Jenrick said: “No I think that’s an absolutely disgraceful and ridiculous comment. I tell you what gives rise to extremist views, with all due respect to journalists like yourself trying to shut down legitimate and fair debate.”
Mr Melbourne said: “I’m not shutting you down Robert, we’ve been talking about this for at least five minutes.”
The shadow minister continued: “What you are implying is that you can’t say comments like that. And if we live in a country where politicians or members of the public cannot debate whether there is due integration or not, then that does give fuel for extremists.
“That does give rise to the far right. So you must not take fair and reasonable comments and try and use them to shut down a debate that this country needs to have.”
Mrs Badenoch refused to slap him down, telling BBC Breakfast: “But the fact is, these are recordings out of context. I don’t know what was being discussed before he said that.
“But in and of itself, it’s a factual statement. If he said he didn’t see another white face, he might have been making an observation. There’s nothing wrong with making observations.
“But what he and I both agree with is that there are not enough people integrating. There are many people who are creating separate communities.”
Asked if he believed Robert Jenrick’s comments were racist, West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker told BBC Radio WM: “I do. Because he’s set out intentionally to draw on a particular issue – people’s colour – to identify the point he wanted to make.
“No other politician that I know in the West Midlands of a mainstream party would seek to do that explicitly and with the intent that he did.
“The issue for me is that rather than reflect on the positive aspects of that community… he wanted to draw on a particular issue of ethnicity and colour. I think that is simply wrong.
“It shows a lack of respect and understanding for those communities. And I doubt whether or not if he went to a largely white community anywhere in the West Midlands he’d be making a comment similar to what he made about Handsworth.”
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