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Keir Starmer has condemned the shadow justice secretary's statements about not seeing another white face in areas of Birmingham, stating the politician was difficult to regard credibly.

Leadership Campaign Accusations

The prime minister suggested that his comments were part of a stealth Conservative bid for leadership 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 accused of fuelling a wave of divisive sentiment after he reiterated his remarks despite criticism from figures including the ex-Tory mayor of the West Midlands, the former mayor.

Community Response and Defense

The prime minister, who did not directly engage the comments, said he had agreed with Andy Street's objections of Jenrick.

• The former mayor had told the media the remarks were incorrect and described the area as a highly cohesive community.
• I think that what Andy Street said was right, the prime minister said. Andy Street obviously was mayor for a long time and knows the area very very well.

Kemi Badenoch, defended him, saying he had made a factual statement and that there was nothing wrong with making observations.

But she also told BBC Breakfast: 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

Mel Stride became the initial high-ranking Conservative to distance himself from his colleague over the comments, telling a Politico fringe event that they were not words that I would have used.

The MP repeatedly informed journalists at the conference that he stood by the remarks and did not retract them as it would be wrong to shut down an important debate that the nation needs to engage in about social cohesion.

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

Original Remarks

In his original remarks, Jenrick said Handsworth was one of the worst integrated places I’ve ever been to. Specifically, in the hour and a half he was filming news there he observed no other white individuals.

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.