Community slams MP's 'no-go area' Birmingham comments

Sparkhill is home to located 20 minutes away from the city centre

A community has rushed to defend their neighbourhood after it was deemed a "no go area" by MP Paul Scully.

The backbencher made the remarks about the Sparkhill area in Birmingham on the BBC whilst discussing the Islamophobia row within the Conservative Party.

During a debate on BBC London he said "for years" people have been "concerned" about their "neighbourhoods changing".

Downing Street has said it disagrees with the comments.

Weighing in on retorts made by Ex-Tory party deputy chair Lee Anderson, Mr Scully said: "We've got to have a sensible use of language so that we can have a constructive adult debate about this."

He added: "The point I'm trying to make is if you look at parts of Tower Hamlets, for example, where there are no-go areas, parts of Birmingham, Sparkhill, where there are no-go areas, mainly because of doctrine, people using, abusing in many ways, their religion because it's not the doctrine of this land, to espouse what some of these people are saying."

Conservative MP Paul Scully made the comments during a discussion on BBC London on Monday

Birmingham Labour MP Jess Phillips took to social media and slammed the comments as "utter drivel" and called for the Conservative MP to apologise.

She posted on X: "My kids hang out in Sparkhill day and night, never had a moment's worry, I go there weekly and live literally five minutes walk from there and used to live there myself."

The Conservative Mayor for the West Midlands, Andy Street also condemned the remarks.

He wrote: "It really is time for those in Westminster to stop the nonsense slurs and experience the real world.

"I for one am proud to lead the most diverse place in Britain."

"There is no place in Sparkhill that has made me feel unsafe. Quite the opposite in fact," added councillor Nicky Brennan, a Labour representative for the ward.

She continued: "It's a vibrant, welcoming community in Birmingham, these comments are disgusting."

Birmingham Labour MP Jess Philips has urged Mr Scully to apologise

Sparkhill is located in an inner-city part of Birmingham and is home to the 'Balti Triangle due to the large number of Balti restaurants.

In 2019, the Conservative Party launched an inquiry into how the party handles discrimination claims, following allegations of Islamophobic behaviour.

The report found evidence of anti-Muslim views at local association and individual level but said claims of "institutional racism" were not borne out by the evidence.

Last year Prof Swaran Singh, who led the inquiry, said the party had been slow to implement some of his recommendations due to "political upheaval".

Asked whether the Prime Minister agreed with Paul Scully, Rishi Sunak's spokesman said: "No, and the PM has talked before about the value of the very diverse communities and societies that we have in the UK."