Tory MP Robert Jenrick challenged over comments about 'white people' in Sky TV interview

Top Tory Robert Jenrick was asked "why does skin colour matter?" in a live TV interview after he complained about a drop in white British people in part of London.

The Shadow Justice Secretary was challenged after the remarks by Sky News host Wilfred Frost this morning. The former Tory leadership contender made the comment as he voiced his agreement for Keir Starmer's controversial claim the UK risks becoming an "island of strangers".

The PM sparked a backlash with the comment, made as he outlined the Government's plan to drive down net migration. Mr Jenrick said: "I think we already are (an island of strangers). I think there are certain places in this country where people are not living side by side, where we are a very divided, segregated society.

"If you look at the centre of Bradford, for example, 50% of people were not born in the UK. If you look at the centre of Luton, almost 50% of people only arrived in the UK in the last 10 years.

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"If you look at parts of Dagenham, the white British population has reduced by 50% in the last 25 years." Mr Frost cut in to ask: "Is that a problem?" The Tory frontbencher responded: "So I think the pace of change is immense and people are sick of that."

Mr Frost asked: "Why is it a problem if the percentage of white people has fallen?" Mr Jenrick replied: "Because you can't successfully integrate people at this speed into our country."

The Sky host continued to press, asking: "Why does the colour of their skin matter?" The shadow cabinet member responded: "It's not about the color of someone's skin. It's about whether or not someone has just arrived in our country." Mr Frost said: "That is a different point."

Defending the remarks, Mr Jenrick said: "If you see profound change in a community like Dagenham, where within 25 years the people living in the community have changed almost beyond recognition. Understandably, some people who live there will feel the place that they knew no longer exists."

This morning Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the Prime Minister's language, and signalled she did not agree with critics. The frontbencher told Breakfast: "I think part of the point that he (the PM) is making is that we have to recognise people have come to the UK through generations to do really important jobs in our , founding our biggest businesses, doing some of the most difficult jobs, but it's because that's important, the system has to be controlled and managed, and it just hasn't been."

Ms Cooper had earlier refused to put a number on the amount she wanted to see net migration reduced because, she said, targets used by the Tories in government had been "meaningless". In the Commons, the Prime Minister's announcement drew criticism from across the political spectrum on Monday.

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