London and Manchester are not minority white cities, ONS figures show

Two of England’s three biggest cities are not minority white, ONS figures showed.

Posts circulating online, including a tweet by former politician Nigel Farage, claimed: “According to the ONS figures, London, Manchester and Birmingham are now all minority white cities.”

Evaluation: Mainly false

While the 2021 Census figures released by the Office for National Statistics showed that less than half of the populations of London and Manchester defined themselves as “white British”, the figures rose to more than 50% when other “white” groups were also included.

But in Birmingham 48.6% of people identified as white across all white ethnic groups, while 42.9% of people identified as “White English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British”.

The facts

Some 81.7% (48.7 million) of usual residents in England and Wales identified their ethnic group as white, a decrease from 86% (48.2 million) in 2011, the ONS figures here and PA Fact Check analysis here show.

In London, 53.8% (4.7 million of the region’s 8.8 million population) identify with a white ethnic group, the ONS figures here and PA analysis here show, with 36.8% (3.2 million) identifying as white English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British.

In Manchester, 56.8% (313,632 of the 551,938 people in the local authority’s area), identify with a white ethnic group, the ONS figures here and PA analysis here show, with 48.7% (268,572) identifying as white English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British.

Looking at the 10 boroughs making up the Greater Manchester area – with a population of 2.9 million, making it one of the largest cities in England – 76.4% (2.2 million) identify with a white ethnic group, the ONS figures here and PA analysis here show, with 71.3% (2 million) identifying as white English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British.

But in Birmingham, 48.6% (556,608 of the city’s 1,144,922 population), identify with a white ethnic group, the ONS figures here and PA analysis here show, with 42.9% (491,211) identifying as white English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British.

Mr Farage has been asked for comment.

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