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Keir Starmer has condemned Robert Jenrick's statements about not seeing another white face in parts of Handsworth, stating the politician was hard to take seriously.

Leadership Campaign Claims

The prime minister implied that Jenrick's comments were part of a covert Tory leadership campaign and said he did not believe they accurately reflected the area of the Birmingham district.

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

Jenrick has been criticized for igniting a wave of divisive sentiment after he reiterated his remarks despite backlash from figures including the ex-Tory mayor of the region, the former mayor.

Community Rejection and Support

Starmer, who avoided directly addressing the comments, said he had agreed with Street's objections of the MP.

• Street had told the media the remarks were incorrect and described Handsworth as a highly cohesive community.
• In my view, Andy Street's comments were accurate, the prime minister said. Andy Street obviously was mayor for a long time and knows the area very very well.

Kemi Badenoch, supported him, 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 first senior Tory to distance himself from Jenrick over the statements, telling a Politico fringe event that they were not words that I would have used.

Jenrick repeatedly told interviewers at the event that he stood by the remarks and did not resile from them as it would be wrong to end a crucial discussion that we have to have as a country about social cohesion.

When a reporter put it to him that his remarks could embolden far-right groups, Jenrick said it was an completely unacceptable and absurd question.

Initial Remarks

In his original remarks, Jenrick said the area was one of the worst integrated places I’ve ever been to. In fact, in the 90 minutes he was recording in the area he didn’t see another white face.

This is not the nation I desire to reside in. I prefer a country with proper integration. Skin color or religion is not the issue—naturally not. However, I advocate for people coexisting together, not leading separate existences. That is not the ideal lifestyle for our country.