Conservative mayoral candidate spoke of ‘browning of England’ in race relations report

Labour brands comment in 2008 report ‘disgraceful’

Shaun Bailey, the Conservative candidate for the Mayor of London, delivers a speech on the third day of the Conservative Party Conference at Manchester Central at Manchester Central on 01 October, 2019 in Manchester, England. Mr Bailey is facing criticism after suggesting people living in temporary accommodations should be able to save up for a housing deposit. (Getty Images)

The Conservative candidate in this year’s election for London mayor wrote about the “browning of England” in a report on what he said was growing distrust between racial communities, it has emerged.

Shaun Bailey said that lots of white communities were “terrified” by the “influx of foreigners of all shades”, and warned that attempts to foster a spirit of tolerance “often turn into a quest to make everybody the same and … pushes communities apart”.

Labour shadow equalities secretary Marsha de Cordova called the comments “disgraceful” and said that no-one holding such views should hold public office.

But Mr Bailey, who is himself black, said that he was reflecting comments – including the “browning of England” phrase – which he had heard from other people when looking into issues surrounding race relations.

The former youth worker is standing in this May’s mayoral election in the hope of unseating Labour’s Sadiq Khan, who is of Pakistani heritage. He previously sparked controversy with a 2005 pamphlet suggesting that the celebration of Hindu and Muslim festivals was robbing Britain of its community.

In his 2008 paper for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, he said that there was a growing distrust between communities in the UK which was leading people to “move into our own bunkers and exclude those who look and sound different”.

He wrote: “Lots of white communities up and down the country feel terrified at the changes they see in their local areas due to the influx of foreigners of all shades in recent years.

“Some call it the ‘browning of England’.

“The latest government projections show the population of England is set to grow by 9.5 million over the next 25 years, and 70 per cent of this increase will be the result of immigration. Figures like these make people worry.

“It is no longer the familiar Britain that people grew up in and this has led to a growing mistrust within our towns and cities of the people around us, because we do not readily recognise their cultures and behaviour – from different foods to different religions.”

Mr Bailey wrote that racism was “alive and kicking” in many English households, even though they may not express such thoughts in public.

But he said that racist attitudes were not necessarily triggered by skin colour, with black Britons like himself often getting a “warmer welcome” in white communities than people of eastern European heritage who are suspected of taking jobs and benefits from native residents.

And he said distrust was fuelled by calls for “tolerance” from a disconnected “liberal intelligentsia”.

“Ordinary people hear sections of our middle-class, liberal media talking about how good immigration has been for the economy, but for them it just creates fear as they see the ‘foreigners’ coming and taking their jobs, jumping the queue in the big welfare line, taking their housing, scrounging off the benefit system and abusing the NHS, all of which are paid for by their hard-earned taxes,” he wrote.

And, he added: “All of these things are happening in a climate where people continually talk about tolerance. Tolerance, in Britain, often turns into a quest to make everybody the same and this pushes communities apart.”

Ms De Cordova said: “The Tory candidate’s comments are simply disgraceful.

“From consistently peddling Trump-like fake news to his views on multiculturalism, women’s rights and abortion, the Tory candidate simply does not share London’s values.

“No one standing for public office should hold these views.”

But Mr Bailey responded: "I am black, I am the grandchild of Windrush immigrants, and I am British. I am an example of the diversity that characterises London and I wouldn’t change any part of it. 

“The comments that Labour have taken out of context are not mine. They’re comments I’ve heard from a wide range of people — including those I helped as a youth worker. This is another attempt by Labour to score political points at the expense of real dialogue."