Carole Malone has erupted in fury at criticism of remarks made by Robert Jenrick about a part of Birmingham where the top Tory claimed he “didn’t see another white face”. In an audio recording obtained by the Guardian, Mr Jenrick can also be heard complaining: “That’s not the kind of country I want to live in.”
His remarks on integration were backed by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and other members of their party, but have also drawn widespread condemnation, including from the Tory former mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, and the Bishop of Birmingham. Mr Jenrick has defended his comments, saying he “won’t shy away” from issues of integration. Malone also defended the Tory MP, telling The Daily Expresso podcast: “He made an observation and I don’t think that’s racist to make an observation of what you see.
“I live in a part of London [where] if I travel two miles to another area, I wouldn’t see another white face either.”
In an, at times, heated exchange with Express Assistant Editor, JJ Anisiobi, Malone said: “What he’s talking about, generally, is multiculturalism. He’s talking about how it hasn’t worked. And it really hasn’t worked.
“There are whole areas of this country, communities, that are not British communities. We have whole cities in this country that are Muslim cities.”
She pointed to comments made by East Wiltshire MP, Danny Kruger, who defected from the Tories to Reform UK. He claimed there are whole communities in the UK that have separated themselves from the rest of the country, living an “unBritish life”.
Malone singled out as problems religions which she said are “contrary” to British beliefs, claiming there were expectations followers would live in “a certain way”, which she said “conflicts” with the British way of life.
The TV presenter said: “I don’t want to walk around this country and see women covered from head to toe with only their eyes on show, walking four paces behind their husbands.
“Should I be tolerant of that? Well, I am because I don’t do anything about it. But do I want to see that? No, I don’t. I don’t support religions that denigrate women, that render them second-class citizens. We fought long and hard for equality in this country.”
She continued: “If you come here, you should come here because you like what our culture is. You shouldn’t come here and say, ‘I hate your culture. It’s obscene. We want to get rid of it’.”
Mr Jenrick’s comments drew criticism from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Asked about the Conservative frontbencher’s claims as he travelled to Mumbai, Sir Keir told journalists: “It’s quite hard to take anything that Robert Jenrick says seriously, he’s clearly still running his leadership campaign.”
The Bishop of Birmingham, Right Reverend Michael Volland, said he had been dismayed and disappointed to hear Mr Jenrick’s remarks.
In a letter to Mr Jenrick, co-signed by a number of community leaders, he said: “Comments like those you have made have the potential to generate anxiety and stir up division.”
Former Tory mayor, Mr Street, said Mr Jenrick was “wrong” about Handsworth, while the Labour Party said his comments “cross a red line”.
Handsworth’s population by ethnicity is 9% white, 25% Pakistani, 23% Indian and 10% Bangladeshi, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.
Asked if he had any regrets about his comments, Mr Jenrick told BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday: “No, not at all and I won’t shy away from these issues.”
He said he had brought up skin colour “because it’s incredibly important that we have a fully integrated society regardless of the colour of their skin or the faith that they abide by”.
The Shadow Justice Secretary added: “I think it’s a very dangerous place if we have a country where people are living in ghettoised communities where people are not living together side by side in harmonious communities… we’ve seen the damage that that can do in society so it’s incredibly important that we resolve this.”