Stephenson’s Luton claims meet earlier police denial
The Conservative shadow minister described parts of Luton as dangerous and said white people would not go there. Bedfordshire police have previously said no-go areas do not exist in the county.
Conservative shadow Home Office minister Blake Stephenson claimed parts of Luton were “no-go zones” where “white people won’t go”, speaking at a party conference fringe meeting in Birmingham. He described the town as “a very dangerous place” and said some communities lived in “ghettoes”.
Stephenson, the MP for Mid Bedfordshire, said he knew Luton because he lived in a village nearby. He called for greater integration and said there should be no “ghettoes” or areas inaccessible to anyone.
Bedfordshire police said previously that “no-go areas do not exist in Bedfordshire”. That statement predates Stephenson’s remarks; the source reports no police comment on his latest claims.
Sarah Owen, Labour MP for Luton North, called the comments “deeply irresponsible” and “simply untrue”. She urged the new council coalition in Luton to disown them.
At the same meeting, Stephenson claimed government internship schemes excluded white young men and called this “state-sponsored racism”. The Conservative Party had been approached for comment; no response was reported.
