MP ‘sorry’ after calling city ward a ‘no-go area’
Tory tries to defuse Islamophobia row, only to start another
ACONSERVATIVE MP has been slated after claiming that Sparkhill in Birmingham has become a “no-go area”.
Paul Scully, a former minister and MP for Sutton and Cheam in London, made the comment during a discussion about whether his political party is Islamophobic.
The claim was aired during an interview on BBC Radio London, where the MP was asked about recent comments by controversial Tory MP Lee Anderson, who has lost the Tory whip after suggesting London mayor Sadiq Khan is “controlled” by Islamists.
Mr Scully described his fellow MP’s comments as “inflammatory and wrong” but then, in trying to “explain the context”, said there were “no-go areas” in Sparkhill and Tower Hamlets.
He said people like Anderson were trying to describe how “changing neighbourhoods” caused concern.
“They’re trying to reflect that, but in a really, really clumsy way,” he said.
In a rambling response, he said: “If you just look at colour of the skin... that’s one thing... but if you look at parts of Tower Hamlets, there are no-go areas. Parts of Birmingham, Sparkhill, there are no-go areas, mainly because of doctrine, mainly because of people using – I’d say abusing – their religion.
“It’s not the doctrine of Islam to espouse what some of these people are saying – that is the concern that needs to be addressed.”
He later tweeted: “It didn’t take long for my words to be pushed out into a divisive narrative when I was outlining the actions of a tiny minority, whose actions then fuel the approach taken by people like Lee Anderson.”
Sparkhill is one of the youngest wards in the city, and more than 92% of its population is of black, Asian or minority ethnic background.
A backlash followed Mr Scully’s comments.
Labour Sparkhill councillor Nicky
Brennan, who has represented the area since 2018, said: “He is not the first to suggest Sparkhill is a no-go area for white people – President Trump tried it and it’s still nonsense. “Sparkhill is one of the most vibrant, welcoming areas of the UK and Birmingham. It’s a community that is welcoming and I walk the streets regularly and never without feeling appreciated and loved. “These are disgusting comments and they illustrate the wider problem of Islamophobia inside the Conservative Party.”
One local resident said the only thing Sparkhill’s Muslim population were responsible for was “an excess of samosa hospitality”.
Brummie actor and TV presenter Adil Ray, whose Citizen Khan sitcom character is meant to reside in the area, sarcastically paid testimony to local Sparkhill vicar Rev Crewe for “managing St John’s Church in the centre of it? A miracle!”
He said: “The community loved the Kids Market for Palestine last week. They had a bouncy castle. Perhaps Scully can give his head a wobble on it next time.”
Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton tweeted to Mr Scully: “If you want to see why you’re so, so wrong to suggest that Sparkhill has ‘no-go areas’, you’re free to join Cllr Nicky Brennan (local councillor) and me on a visit. Then you can apologise to the community.”
More comments from Brummies included: “I live in Birmingham. Ask Paul to specify where the no-go areas here are, so I can go there and prove him wrong.”
Another said: “This is absolute rubbish. I was at uni in Leicester and have never felt safer. I understand politics change, though the sense of family and generosity from Muslim families is the same.”
“Absolute rubbish,” said another. “I can come and go as I like to Sparkhill, never felt threatened yet. Sick of these lies!”
Mr Scully later apologised and said he “put his hands up” for using language he “regrets”. He added he was “frustrated in the language” he used and lost “nuance” in the issues he wanted to get across.
Parts of Birmingham, Sparkhill, there are no-go areas, mainly because of... people abusing their religion. Paul Scully MP