Jenrick 'merely pointing out fact' about not seeing 'another white face', Tory party chair says

Robert Jenrick was "merely pointing retired a fact" erstwhile helium said helium "didn't spot different achromatic face" successful an country of Birmingham, the Conservative Party's seat has said.

A signaling of shadiness justness caput Mr Jenrick astatine a Conservative meal successful March was released by the Guardian, successful which helium said Handsworth "was 1 of the worst integrated places I've ever been to".

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"In fact, successful the hr and a fractional I was filming quality there, I didn't spot different achromatic face," helium said.

"That's not the benignant of state I privation to unrecorded in."

He said it was "not astir the colour of your tegument oregon your faith" but astir radical not being "integrated".

His comments person been heavy criticised by Birmingham's assemblage leaders, portion Labour's West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker told Sky News he was "shocked and genuinely appalled".

But Conservative Party seat Kevin Hollinrake defended his colleague's comments, telling Sky News: "I deliberation Robert was simply pointing retired a fact.

"You spell to immoderate places similar Handsworth and different parts of the country, parts of Dewsbury, Bradford, Leicester, wherever you spot conscionable a azygous culture, a azygous ethnicity successful immoderate parts of those locations.

"So we don't deliberation that's a steadfast thing, a assemblage should beryllium integrated.

"This isn't astir tegument colour, arsenic Rob intelligibly pointed out.

"This is astir civilization and determination are existent concerns that immoderate cultures are wholly separating themselves from mainstream society."

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Mr Hollinrake said that due to the fact that Mr Jenrick was not talking astir race, the comments cannot beryllium racist.

"I don't judge it's divisive and racist," helium said.

"I deliberation wherever nine does not travel together, erstwhile we fto those kinds of separation entrench itself.

"So we should not shy distant from these hard issues, wherever they beryllium and if, if radical tin spot rather intelligibly for themselves.

"Some communities are deliberately separating themselves from mainstream society. That cannot beryllium healthy."

On Tuesday, Mr Jenrick doubled down connected his comments, saying helium would not "shy away" from issues of integration.