"Badenoch supports Jenrick's remarks on 'absence of white faces in Birmingham'"

Kemi Badenoch has supported her colleague Robert Jenrick following his remarks about not encountering "another white face" in a Birmingham neighborhood but emphasized that discussions should not focus on people’s appearances in public spaces.

The Conservative leader stated that the shadow justice secretary had made a "factual observation" and there was "nothing wrong with acknowledging realities." However, she added during a BBC Breakfast interview: "This debate should not be about counting faces on the street or their features."

Jenrick's comments, first reported by *CuriosityNews*, were made at an event in March and have drawn criticism from MPs as well as former Tory West Midlands mayor Andy Street.

At the gathering, Jenrick said: “I recently visited Handsworth in Birmingham to film a segment on litter, and the conditions were shocking—the closest I’ve seen to a slum in this country. But what also struck me was how poorly integrated the area seemed. During the hour and a half I spent filming, I didn’t see another white face."

He continued: "That’s not the Britain I envision. A well-integrated society is what we should strive for—not separation based on background or belief. People should be living together, not apart. This isn’t the right way forward for our country."

Street, who served as West Midlands mayor until 2024, disputed Jenrick’s claim, describing Handsworth as a thoroughly integrated area with diverse communities, including South Asian, Black, and white residents living side by side. “Frankly, Robert is mistaken,” he told *Newsnight*. “Handsworth has transformed significantly since the unrest 40 years ago. It is now a place where different communities coexist harmoniously.”

The current West Midlands mayor, Labour’s Richard Parker, went further, accusing Jenrick of racism and raising doubts about his suitability to remain a Conservative MP.

“I’m furious and deeply offended. Handsworth is a thriving, multicultural community where people of various faiths and backgrounds work and live together. The Soho Road is one of the most dynamic high streets in the nation,” Parker said in a radio interview.

“This raises serious concerns. Kemi Badenoch and senior Conservative figures must now consider whether someone with such views should continue representing their party.”

Jenrick initially declined to respond but later defended his remarks, stating: “Over two decades, multiple government reports have identified the issue of divided communities and urged an open discussion. The problem persists. Unlike some, I won’t avoid addressing it.”