Tory MP Robert Jenrick recently criticised Handsworth.
At a Conservative dinner he complained that this section of Birmingham was poorly integrated and he didn’t see another white face when visiting, he also said: “It’s the closest I’ve come to a slum in this country”. This couldn’t sound further from the reality our reporter Bethan understands.
After travelling here from India by boat, Handsworth was the first place her family settled and although they may have faced difficulties, they remember a Handsworth where culture thrived and artists such as reggae band Steel Pulse and singer Apache Indian grew amongst a supportive diverse community.
In this video Bethan visits the people living there today.