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Keir Starmer has criticized Robert Jenrick's remarks about the lack of white faces in parts of Birmingham, stating the politician was difficult to regard credibly.

Leadership Campaign Claims

The prime minister implied that his comments were part of a covert Conservative leadership campaign and asserted he did not believe they painted a true picture the area of Handsworth.

I find it difficult to regard Robert Jenrick's statements as credible; he's obviously continuing his leadership campaign.

Jenrick has been criticized for igniting a fire of toxic nationalism after he doubled down on his remarks despite backlash from individuals including the ex-Tory mayor of the region, the former mayor.

Local Rejection and Support

Starmer, who avoided directly addressing the comments, said he had agreed with Andy Street's criticisms of Jenrick.

• Street had told BBC Newsnight the comments were incorrect and portrayed 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.

The Conservative leader, defended him, saying he had made a truthful observation 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.

Internal Divisions

The shadow chancellor became the first senior Tory to distance himself from Jenrick over the statements, informing a Politico fringe event that they were not words that I would have used.

The MP repeatedly told interviewers at the conference that he supported the remarks and did not retract them as it would be wrong to end a crucial discussion that the nation needs to engage in about integration.

When a Sky News journalist put it to him that his comments could embolden extremist organizations, he said it was an completely unacceptable and absurd question.

Initial Statements

In his initial comments, Jenrick said Handsworth was among the least cohesive locations I have visited. In fact, in the 90 minutes he was recording in the area he didn’t see another white face.

That’s not the kind of country I want to live in. I want to live in a country where people are properly integrated. It’s not about the colour of your skin or your faith – of course it isn’t. But I want people to be living alongside each other, not parallel lives. That’s not the right way we want to live as a country.