Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick faced a grilling during an interview on Sky News, where he struggled to explain what he meant by “English identity.”
The former immigration minister was pressed repeatedly by presenter Matt Barbet, who challenged him to define the term, leading to a tense exchange that highlighted a key issue in Jenrick’s campaign.
Jenrick, who recently wrote an article for the Daily Mail claiming mass migration had “dismantled” English culture and caused “huge problems,” failed to give a clear answer when asked what English identity actually is.
“I think it is incredibly important that just as Scottish and Welsh leaders speak up for their distinct national identities, so do English politicians as well,” Jenrick said. He argued that England’s history and culture should be celebrated, but when pressed by Barbet to describe what exactly defines English identity, Jenrick faltered.
Barbet interrupted, asking directly: “What is English identity?”
Jenrick’s response remained vague: “Well, just as every nation has its own distinct history and culture, so does ours in England.” Barbet, however, wasn’t satisfied and continued to push for specifics: “What is it? What is English identity?”
Jenrick repeated his earlier point: “It’s the history and the culture of our country. I think England has an incredibly proud history. I think we have achieved so much in the world, and we should be celebrating that… We should be ensuring that we don’t lose it through mass migration and having such large numbers of people coming into our country.”
Barbet pointed out that Jenrick’s inability to define English identity might make it difficult for newcomers to the country to understand what they are expected to integrate into: “If you can’t describe what English identity is, how is anybody coming here meant to understand that?”
Jenrick pushed back, arguing that English identity couldn’t be condensed into a simple answer: “With great respect, you don’t distil the identity and the history of England into a soundbite.” Barbet countered that Jenrick had tried to do just that in his Daily Mail article, sparking a visibly irritated response from the Tory candidate.
“You are trying to dismiss an English politician speaking about our national identity,” Jenrick retorted. “I think it’s incredibly important that we do talk about it.”
Jenrick offered examples of what he believed English identity represents, citing “the great history of our country, the great things that our country has achieved in the world, our values, and our courtesies and manners as a nation.”
The exchange left many viewers questioning whether Jenrick had a clear understanding of the concept he was championing, as he struggled to articulate what makes English identity distinct.
Jenrick is currently one of four candidates vying to succeed Rishi Sunak as Conservative leader, competing against Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, and Tom Tugendhat. His campaign has focused heavily on immigration and national identity, but this interview may have raised doubts about his ability to clearly communicate his vision for England’s future.
You can watch the video below:
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