Robert Jenrick has found himself at the centre of a race row after claiming that the number of white British people in Dagenham has plummeted in recent decades.
The shadow minister made the comments on Sky News as he defended Keir Starmer’s controversial new immigration plans. Starmer announced the measures on Monday, aiming to reduce the flow of new arrivals and prevent the UK from becoming what he called an “island of strangers.”
🏠 ‘Very Divided and Segregated’
Pressed by presenter Wilfred Frost on whether he agreed with the prime minister’s language, Jenrick replied: “We already are.” He went on to describe the UK as a “very divided and segregated society” in some areas, adding:
“If you look at the centre of Bradford, for example, 50% of people were not born in the UK. If you look at the centre of Luton, almost 50% of people only arrived in the UK in the last 10 years. If you look at parts of Dagenham, the white British population has reduced by 50% in the last 25 years.”
When asked if he thought this was a problem, Jenrick doubled down, saying the “pace of change is immense and people are sick of that.”
🗣️ Pushed on Race Focus
Frost then pressed the Tory MP on why he had specifically mentioned the decline in the white British population, pointing out that his comments seemed to focus on race.
Jenrick tried to clarify, saying he was talking about “whether or not someone has just arrived in our country.” But Frost quickly noted this was a different point, unrelated to the racial makeup of the area.
Jenrick’s comments have already sparked backlash, with some accusing him of using racially charged language to stoke division. Expect this one to rumble on.
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