𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Robert Jenrick slapped down a TV presenter in a furious row over migration and integration.

The Shadow Justice Secretary faced questions over comments where he complained of not seeing “another white face” on a trip to the Birmingham suburb of Handsworth.

He added it was “as close as I’ve come to a slum in this country” and one of the “worst integrated places” he had been to.

And a furious row erupted on Sky News this morning, with presenter Kamali Melbourne accusing Mr Jenrick of using the language of the far-right.

Defending his comments, Mr Jenrick said: “I want to live in a country which is well integrated. I want people to be living side by side. I never want to see segregated or even ghettoised communities.

“We want people of all skin colours, of all religions, to be living in harmonious, well integrated communities, with our kids growing up alongside each other. And I’m afraid in some parts of the country, there are communities where that just isn’t the case.

“We need to have an open, honest conversation in this country about integration.”

The Sky News host then said: “Mr Jenrick, you said you are putting your head above the parapet, but you will know that kind of language does give support for groups on the far-right who don’t want to see brown and black people living here.”

A furious Mr Jenrick hit back: “Absolutely not. I think that is an absolute disgrace and ridiculous comment. I tell you what gives rise to extremist views, with all due respect it’s journalists like yourself, trying to shut down fair debate. What you are implying is that you can’t say comments like that.

“If we live in a country where politicians or members of the public cannot debate whether there is integration or not, then that does give fuel to extremists, that does give rise to the far-right, so you must not take a fair and reasonable comment and try and use them to shut down a debate that this country needs to have.

“We have been having this debate off and on for decades and every time people try and raise these issues in a fair and reasonable way, with all due respect, journalists like you pop up and try and knock those people down.

“That is the reason why terrorist attacks happen because people are not taking the action that is needed.”

Mr Melbourne then fell silent for several seconds in the awkward exchange. Mr Jenrick is to address the Conservative Party’s annual conference on Tuesday.

But he faced multiple questions over the comment this morning. In the audio, he described the situation in Handsworth as “absolutely appalling”.

“It’s as close as I’ve come to a slum in this country,” he said. “The other thing I noticed there was that it was one of the worst integrated places I’ve ever been to. In fact, in the hour and a half I was filming news there, I didn’t see another white face.”

He continued: “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.”