Jenrick Stands by Claim he “Did Not See a White Face” During Birmingham Visit
Robert Jenrick has stood by comments he made complaining of not seeing “another white face” in a Birmingham neighbourhood, saying it is one of the “worst integrated places” he has been to. The Telegraph has more.
The Shadow Justice Secretary said Handsworth was “as close as I’ve come to a slum in this country” and one of the “worst integrated places” he had been to.
His comments have been criticised by local politicians, including Andy Street, the former Tory mayor.
Mr Jenrick made the remarks during a dinner in March after he filmed a video about litter in the West Midlands suburb, according to the Guardian.
In the audio, he described the situation as “absolutely appalling”.
“It’s as close as I’ve come to a slum in this country,” he said.
“The other thing I noticed there was that it was one of the worst integrated places I’ve ever been to. In fact, in the hour and a half I was filming news there, I didn’t see another white face.”
He continued: “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.”
Mr Jenrick defended the comments he made earlier this year.
“Six separate government reports over 20 years have highlighted the problem of parallel communities and called for a frank and honest conversation about the issue,” his spokesman said.
“The situation is no better today. Unlike other politicians, I won’t shy away from this issue. We have to integrate communities if we are to be a united country.”
Mr Street, the former Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, told BBC Newsnight: “Putting it bluntly, Robert is wrong.
“Handsworth, it’s come a hell of a long way in the 40 years since the last civil disturbances there, and it’s actually a very integrated place.”
Rakhib Ehsan defended Jenrick in the Telegraph, saying Handsworth’s lack of integration is clear in the data:
When asked what their national identity is in the last census (where they feel they belong or could think of as home), three in 10 residents in Handsworth West identified with an exclusively non-UK identity – rising to nearly half in some neighbourhoods.
In one neighbourhood in the southern part of Handsworth, the majority of its inhabitants felt this way – 55%. It is safe to say that a robust sense of Britishness – a sense of belonging to a British democratic national community – is not in high supply in Handsworth. It is not racist to say so: it is exactly what the data tell us.
Meanwhile, Jenrick has pledged to sack ‘activist’ judges in a crackdown on the pro-migration bias in the judiciary. Also from the Telegraph:
The Shadow Justice Secretary has compiled a list of more than 30 full-time and part-time judges who he says have previously volunteered help or provided free legal services for open-border organisations. He said some have continued to post comments in support of open borders on social media since assuming their judicial roles.
Speaking ahead of his speech at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Mr Jenrick claimed the list amounted to a “hidden network” of “activist judges subverting the independence of the judiciary”.
He will announce that a future Tory government would introduce reforms enabling judges caught campaigning for open borders to be sacked automatically, as well as returning the responsibility for appointing judges to the government via the Lord Chancellor.
He will also say that a judicial register of interests would be established, and that the Sentencing Council would be scrapped following controversy over its “two-tier justice” guidelines, with its powers also transferred to the Lord Chancellor.
Mr Jenrick told the Telegraph: “While we may have some of the best lawyers, barristers and judges in the world, it is now beyond any doubt that a deep rot has infected parts of our judiciary.
“This will come as little surprise to the public, who have been subjected to absurd immigration judgments that work against their interests and risk their safety. We will only restore confidence in the independence of the judiciary through wholesale changes to the way it operates.
“Leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is an essential first step. But there is no point removing activist judges abroad only to be stuck with their friends here. We need root-and-branch changes. Tinkering is not enough – we need to fundamentally change how judges are appointed and removed.”
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100% spot on. I wonder if the leftist-fascists will scream for his murder or attempt an assassination. Can’t have the truth being spoken now.
1960 Londonistan was 95% white.
2025 Londonistan is now 34% white.
See a trend?
And within that Londonistan has areas of monoculture not multiculture.
I used to drive through Handsworth fifty years ago on my way to work and white people were becoming scarce even then. Definitely car windows closed and doors locked.
“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…”
Politicians just do not get something about immigration and about human nature: in large numbers, people of different cultures and races do not mix. They gather together with their own culture/race, whether consciously or sub-consciously. This has been demonstrated countless times in every country of the world throughout human history. While we’re at it, we see it hroughout the animal kingdom.
He is demanding the impossible.
‘Tis true. When we were after buying a house here in the Netherlands it was me that was wanting to live in the more ‘diverse’ part of the city because I liked the cafes, restaurants and interesting shops, just the general vibe, that is way different to the bog standard Dutch areas. Once I looked into the crime rate ( and witnessed a robbery at a jewelry shop ) in that particular area I did change my mind, though. Ironically, it was always the huz, who is not white, who said right from the start that he wanted to buy in a predominantly white area where there’s no Muslims, and so that’s what we ended up doing. There’s a majority Turkish community just up the road, and they’ve always seemed like perfectly nice people when I’ve spoken to them, but they all stick together. Human nature, as you say. Especially like how all the Muslims will live in close proximity to the mosques, which is understandable. I think if your area is changing too much and you’re not comfortable then just move. Life’s too short. It’s always the cities and towns that will change their demographics first, but they all… Read more »
“Move if your neighbourhood changes” is a pragmatic approach, certainly, but if you feel rooted in the place where you grew up, then there will be huge resentment at “being forced out” by incomers.
I know, but what’s the alternative? Just stay put and moan, stewing in resentment? It’s not going to change anything is it? People need to be realistic as well as proactive.
Britain is still over 80% white, so just go where there’s still a white majority if it makes you feel more comfortable. This includes many places.
Scotland is still largely a high trust society, despite the SNP’s efforts encouraing 3rd world cultural enrichment whilst discouraging English inward relocation.
Granted, the cities have predictable problems of course.
I live in a place where, in winter, people leave their car running outside the local village shop, while they pop in to purchase unhealthy snacks etc.
Sometimes we do remember to lock things.
The country is about 97% undiversified, if you don’t count English residents like me.
The muslims all live together and THEN build the mosque.
Yes that bit shows that Jenrick is still dumb when it comes to the lack of integration and how that will never work with the immigrant numbers we have. Remigration is the only solution to get the numbers down to accetable levels.
Another desperate attempt by the once great newspaper to resuscitate the Tory corpse. Funny he didn’t say that when his Party was in power for 14 years. Your only chance of survival, Robert (or, is it Bob?) is to join Reform (if they have you).
He’s only stated a basic fact and even that is considered unacceptable.
Being a native of the Black Country, so called because of its once proud long gone heavy industry past, I grew up and went to school in Birmingham and then college there. This was in the period up to the 80’s. Even then Handsworth was know to be, then a mostly black area, and was a featured area of regular riots and troubles, it was not then the Muslim area it has since become.
So Jenrick is not speaking falsehoods, it is the truth and has been for decades. I suspect the very people who criticise his use of facts rather than feelings, have not grown up in the area, and never even visited it.
In fact if he visited Sparkbrook, Acocks Green and various other areas he would find a similar demographic
This country’s demographics are changing. It’s a demonstrable fact. Integration is a dirty word in left-leaning circles, so it’s inevitable that ethnic communities, once they are large enough to support themselves, will tend not to mix, but turn inwards. We’re becoming an Island of Strangers, to quote from TTK in his moment of honesty.
Grist to the likes of Grauniad trolls and James O’W@nker on LBC who cannot help but cry “racist” without having the foggiest of the disparate situation being described.
“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.”
Nail on head. Communities cannot exist in parallel. This is exactly the sentiment expressed by my father, member of a minor religious group (he was a Parsi) who came to the UK in 1937. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world. Tribal conflict is exacerbated by symbols of difference, whether clothing, headgear, badges, scarves or flags. It may be benign conflict (eg football – on the whole) or not, but sadly human nature means that there will be a ganging up when a large group encounters a smaller one. Muslims against Jews, Protestants against Catholics, Buddhists against Muslims (remember the Rohingas in Myanmar? I thought not), Shia against Sunni, Muslims against Christians (Nigeria) etc. The trouble is I don’t know how to stop it…
““another white face” in a Birmingham neighbourhood, saying it is one of the “worst integrated places” he has been to…”
I thought “integration” and “diversity” meant majority non-White… “fully integrated” society = no Whites. Isn’t that the aim?
Jenrick has given a “great” conference speech in which he promises that a future Tory Government will do all the things it could/should have done in the last 14 years but didn’t.
Don’t believe you.
When is a place diverse enough? The countryside is apparently under-diverse due to the over abundance of white people whilst it seems areas less than 2% of white people is OK. Why don’t we ask our libtard friends what level of diversity they think is ideal.