British white people ‘soon to be minority in city’

BRITISH white people are soon to become the minority in Birmingham while nearly 50,000 residents in the city cannot speak English, according to a new report.

There are thought to be residents from nearly 200 countries living in Birmingham which has been described as ‘super diverse’ in the city council’s new cohesion strategy.

But while there are recognised benefits to a multi-cultural society such as trade links, the city’s varied ethnicity has also been identified as major factor in social segregation and community ‘tension’.

The draft policy, which was tabled before the council’s cabinet, said that 42.1 per cent of people in Birmingham classified themselves as nonwhite British in the 2011 census.

That was an increase of 12 per cent from the 2001 survey and if the rate continues by the time of the next census in 2021 more than half of the city’s 1.2 million-plus population will be from an ethnic minority.

This is already the case for under 18s with 60 per cent coming from a non-white British background in the last poll. “Birmingham is soon to become a majority minority city,” the report said.

“Ethnic diversity can bring many benefits such as transnational trading links and high levels of cultural resource.

“Birmingham has benefited from its diverse migrant communities who have settled in the city and successfully contributed to its economic vitality, becoming leaders in education, medicine, sports, arts and business and providing employment opportunities to local people.

“Our demographic landscape is increasingly becoming ethnically and socially ‘super diverse’, which means a greater understanding of the changes in cultural norms, identities and social shifts in how we live work and learn is needed.”

The strategy aims to tackle a number of other barriers in the way of community cohesion including economic growth, gender inequality, job security, deprived neighbourhoods, educational attainment, income inequality and an ageing population.