Robert Jenrick’s speech to a meeting of Tory faithful was calculated to reinforce the prejudices of a thoroughly racist party.
His ignorant opinions based on fabricated facts are designed to spread racist division and hatred in our communities. He knows nothing about Handsworth, but that’s not important if your speeches are a series of lies glued together with racist bigotry.
Handsworth is a diverse, vibrant and integrated community where generations of people from many parts of the world have lived and worked together and made a huge contribution to multicultural Birmingham.
To describe Handsworth as a slum underscores Jenrick’s public school prejudices. Ironically it has been fourteen years of Tory cuts, including a billion pound cut in the council’s budget, that have created many difficulties for residents in Handsworth and across the city.
Stand Up To Racism asked residents and visitors to Handsworth what they thought of Jenrick’s opinion of Handsworth.
Janine said ‘I am white and have lived in Handsworth for over twenty years. What I love most is the cultural diversity, the great cafes and restaurants. Jenrick has stood with known violent fascists of Combat 18 outside the Bell Hotel in Epping. He has form as someone who spreads hate and division.”
We come together to overcome
Helena commented: “I have recently had major surgery. Who came to help with food, shopping and company? My neighbours. I appreciate and respect these loving, caring ‘black’ neighbours. There may be some problems in Handsworth that were made worse by 14 years of austerity, not by the colour of people’s skin. But if any community can come together to overcome them, it is ours.”
Raj discussed his regular visits to Soho Road with friends. “Handsworth is one of the best examples of living, breathing and cooperative multiculturalism that creates a new, inclusive and shared sense of what it means to be a Briton in a modern, diverse society. There are plenty of white people whose businesses contribute to the area’s economy and culture.
“The Desi pubs are an international phenomenon and have helped to revive the local economy. Jenrick tries to deflect people from the real causes of all that is wrong with their lives – underfunded NHS and schools, lack of jobs, food prices, and a gig economy and blames migrants, asylum seekers and people of colour. The public spending cuts fund tax breaks for the rich.”
Surinder felt that “Jenrick’s comments about Handsworth are both offensive and shallow. Diversity and integration aren’t about ‘seeing white faces’ – they are about people of all backgrounds living, learning and growing together. As someone raised in Handsworth I know that it’s a community where that truly happens. It shaped who I am.”
Jenrick’s comments are part of a wider narrative that blames the problems of society on immigrants and their families. The far right, including Jenrick, hate multicultural success, and they will stoop to use the politics of the gutter to undermine and divide communities by spreading racist myths and ideas.
Birmingham Stand Up to Racism rejects the lies and hatred of the racist right. We will continue to organise and campaign against bigotry, racism and Islamophobia to defend our brilliant, diverse multicultural City of Birmingham.
Contact Birmingham Stand Up to Racism:
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