'You don't have to be white to be English'
57 minutes ago Share Save Tanya Gupta West Midlands and Aida Fofana in Handsworth Share Save
BBC Rani Rawji said people did not have to be white to be English
"You don't have to be white to be English," was how one woman in Handsworth, Birmingham, responded to shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick's view the area was "one of the worst-integrated places", slum-like, and had no visible white faces. As several politicians criticised the Conservative's words, Rani Rawji insisted skin colour was no means to gauge social cohesion. Ms Rawji - business liaison manager for Soho Road Business Improvement District - said the area had Christians, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus working, living and shopping together in an area of restaurants, stores and family pubs. She is one of many to share with the BBC their assessment of Jenrick's comments about where they live.
Jenrick has defended his words about the inner city neighbourhood - comments which the mayor of the West Midlands Richard Parker described as racist. Ms Rawji said she felt defensive after hearing Jenrick's criticism, adding: "Handsworth is a flourishing area. "Everybody's happy. We don't seem to have an issue." Responding to Jenrick's line about poor integration, she added: "You don't have to be white to be E
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