An ally of Tory leadership contender Robert Jenrick on Monday defended him after the former minister said mass migration was turning cities such as Birmingham into “segregated communities”.
Ahead of the first leadership ballot by Conservative MPs today, the hardline former Home Office minister drew criticism for making the remark to party members at a private hustings in the West Midlands.
But shadow Treasury minister Gareth Davies said Mr Jenrick was right to call attention to the issue. “I think what he was saying is that it wasn't the whole city of Birmingham, and it wasn't just Birmingham,” he told Sky News.
“It's pockets of communities, and certainly pockets of cities, which are not as integrated as they should be or could be.
“And I think it's important that in leadership elections like this, setting out the challenges we face as a country, being honest about those challenges and having difficult conversations,” Mr Davies said.
After the party’s election drubbing in July, Monday’s ballot was the start of a process that will see four of the six candidates set out their stall to Tory members at the party’s conference - in Birmingham - at the end of the month.
The others standing are Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Dame Priti Patel, Mel Stride and Tom Tugendhat.
An announcement on the result of the first round is expected at about 3.30pm.
Further voting rounds will take place throughout September, aimed at thinning the ranks to the four surviving candidates. After the conference, MPs will carry out further rounds of voting to select two final candidates for party members to choose between, with the result announced on November 2.
