Keir Starmer Criticises Robert Jenrick Over Controversial Comments on Integration
Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, has called on Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick to cease his public lectures on integration, amid rising tensions within the UK political landscape, reports BritPanorama.
Starmer’s remarks came after Jenrick claimed he “didn’t see another white face” during a visit to Birmingham, drawing widespread condemnation. The PM accused Jenrick of prioritizing a leadership campaign over substantive political discourse.
On a flight to Mumbai, where he is set to meet Indian President Narendra Modi, Starmer stated, “We’re working hard on questions of integration, but we need no lessons or lectures from Robert Jenrick on any of this. He’s clearly just engaging in a leadership campaign.”
The controversy ignited when senior Conservative figures rallied behind Jenrick’s assertion that Britain must confront “ghettoised communities” and a “dangerous” lack of social cohesion. Labour representatives swiftly branded the comments as racially insensitive. However, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch defended Jenrick, asserting that there is “nothing wrong with making observations,” while Shadow Cabinet Minister Claire Coutinho echoed this sentiment, remarking that a lack of diversity in a community signals a failure of integration.
The remarks surfaced during the Conservative Party conference in Manchester and stemmed from a secret recording of Jenrick discussing his recent visit to Handsworth, where he described conditions as “appalling” and likened them to a slum, noting the area’s demographic makeup in his comments.
According to official data, only nine percent of Handsworth’s population is white, with a significant majority of residents from Pakistani, Indian, and Bangladeshi backgrounds. In response to questions about his comments, Jenrick told the BBC, “No, not at all and I won’t shy away from these issues.”
He explained his reference to skin colour as essential for fostering a fully integrated society, independent of racial background or religious beliefs. Furthermore, he tied the recent terrorist attack in north Manchester to the nation’s integration challenges.
Badenoch continued her support for Jenrick, dismissing negative media coverage and emphasising a mutual agreement on the need for better integration across communities. “There are many people who are creating separate communities,” she stated. This situation marks a significant moment in ongoing discussions surrounding race and integration policy in the UK, as Labour accuses Jenrick of “crossing a red line.”
