Andy Burnham has signalled support for a bill that would allow Britons to identify as Black English and Asian English on the census, in a move to counter "poisonous politics" in Parliament.
The Prime Minister's backing came after Liberal Democrat MP Josh Babarinde introduced the English ethnic identity (census particulars) Bill to the Commons, calling for ethnicity questions on the census to be overhauled with more options, including Black English and Asian English.
Bill seeks to overhaul census ethnicity options
Mr Babarinde said there have been attempts to "reduce Englishness to a skin colour and to a bloodline" but argued that being white has nothing to do with being English. The move follows comments by Reform UK MP Suella Braverman (Fareham and Waterlooville) that sparked a row over racism when she suggested only white people can be English.
Addressing MPs on Tuesday, Mr Babarinde argued the current situation treats English people with Black and Asian heritage as "marginal", including Conservative former prime minister Rishi Sunak.
Cross-party support for the bill
The 10-minute rule Bill, which is unlikely to proceed without Government backing, has received cross-party support, including from Labour's former deputy prime minister David Lammy.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham also appeared to back the bill. He said in Parliament: "I haven't looked at the detail of the bill, but I stand here thinking that I would want to support that bill to directly take on the poisonous politics that we've seen from some in this house who are seeking to divide us."
He added: "We must move on from a decade of division and drift in this country. We must bring people back together. I am interested in working with anyone in this house who shares that aim."
St George's Bill named after patron saint
Mr Babarinde also called it the St George's Bill, named after the patron saint of England who, according to tradition, was from modern-day Turkey.
The Eastbourne MP said: "Do you have to be white to be English? This St George's Bill says no. I am a proud Englishman. I have proud Nigerian heritage. But my parents and I were born in England, we grew up in England, our home is in England."
He told MPs that since introducing the Bill, he has received death threats, with one telling him to "go home while you have the legs and breath to carry you".
He said: "In the ethnicity question in the census, the only box that says English sits under the white category. If you are Black, the form offers you Black British, if you are Asian, it offers you Asian British – but not English."
He noted that the Welsh census offers a Black Welsh category, while the Scottish census offers Scottish Asian, but England's census offers only a miscellaneous writing box.
The Lib Dem MP argued the Bill takes "nothing away from anyone," only adding choices that reflect how people already see themselves. It is due to return to the Commons on April 23, 2027 – St George's Day.
