Residents and local officials in Luton, UK, have refuted claims made by a Conservative politician that parts of the town are 'no-go zones' for white people. The comments, which echo sentiments previously promoted by far-right figures, have been widely condemned as divisive and unsupported by evidence.
The claims of 'no-go zones' in Luton, amplified by a politician, risk stigmatizing diverse communities and fueling divisive narratives, despite being contradicted by local residents and officials.
Residents and local officials in Luton have strongly refuted claims made by a Conservative politician that parts of the town are 'no-go zones' for white people. Blake Stephenson, the MP for Mid Bedfordshire, stated at the Tory party conference that Luton is a 'very dangerous place' where some communities 'live in ghettoes' and that 'there are parts where white people won’t go.'
These comments have been widely condemned in Luton, with local leaders and residents describing them as divisive and unsupported by evidence. Tanner Ahmed, a shopkeeper in the predominantly Asian Bury Park area, questioned the notion of no-go zones, noting his business caters to thousands of football fans attending matches at the nearby Luton Town ground. He stated, 'I feel perfectly safe.'
Luton's independent mayor, Javed Hussain, expressed his bafflement at Stephenson's claims, highlighting the town's multicultural and diverse nature. He pointed to the presence of Christian, Sikh, and Muslim places of worship and emphasized local regeneration efforts. 'I’m at a loss to know why he is saying this because Luton is a very multicultural, diverse town, as well as very vibrant one, so it’s disheartening,' Hussain said.
The 2021 census found that 54.8% of Luton’s population were non-white, making it one of four places outside London at that time where the majority of the population was from minority groups. The town is also associated with far-right activist Tommy Robinson (Stephen Yaxley-Lennon), who launched the English Defence League there. International far-right figures have previously used Luton as an example of supposed dangers of Islamism and multiculturalism.
Sarah Owen, the Labour MP for Luton North, accused Stephenson of pushing 'rightwing nonsense' similar to Robinson's rhetoric. John Tizard, the police and crime commissioner for Bedfordshire, wrote to Stephenson stating his comments bore a 'troubling resemblance to far-right agitators seeking to divide communities.' A traffic warden, who declined to give their name, said they 'always felt perfectly safe' in the area.
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