A shadow Conservative Home Office minister has claimed there are “no-go zones” in Luton where “white people won’t go”.
GRASSROOTS Luton is deeply concerned by these claims portraying parts of our town as “no-go zones”. Such descriptions do not reflect the reality of the Luton that we know and serve. For more than 35 years, we have worked alongside people of different faiths, cultures and backgrounds, building relationships, fostering understanding and strengthening community cohesion across our town.
While Luton, like every community, faces challenges, it is also a place where people from diverse backgrounds live, work, worship and learn together. We believe public discourse should be rooted in truth, mutual respect and a shared commitment to the common good.
We call on all community leaders, elected representatives and residents to reject narratives that create fear, division or hostility, and instead to work together to promote understanding, inclusion and good relations between all who call Luton home.
GRASSROOTS Luton [Working together for peace, reconciliation and stronger communities in Luton in partnership with Churches, different faith communities and the Luton Council of Faiths]
——————————————————
In her Facebook post, Sarah Owen, MP Luton North said, “It is deeply irresponsible for any politician, let alone a senior Conservative, to peddle the same far-right nonsense about Luton that we see from the likes of Yaxley Lennon and Reform. It is simply not true. The Shadow Home Office minister will have many constituents who work in Luton and will not recognise his warped description. He should get off social media and meet our many fantastic Lutonians. I’d also call on the new Lib Dem/Tory/Green coalition council to disown these comments from their colleagues.” Also see Sarah Owen’s Visit to a local Mosque.
The Mayor of Luton Cllr Jave Hussain said: “I strongly condemn the comments made by Conservative shadow minister Blake Stephenson describing parts of Luton as “no-go zones” where “white people won’t go”. These comments do not reflect the Luton I know. Luton is a diverse, vibrant and welcoming town where people from different backgrounds, faiths and cultures live, work and raise their families together. Yes, like every town and city, Luton faces challenges around crime, deprivation and community safety. We should tackle those issues honestly and seriously but we should do so with facts, evidence and solutions, not by portraying whole communities or neighbourhoods as “no-go zones”. Bedfordshire Police have previously stated clearly that “no-go areas do not exist in Bedfordshire.” As Mayor of Luton, I will continue to stand for a town where everyone belongs, everyone is respected, and every community is valued. We should challenge problems but we should never undermine the people and communities who make Luton the town it is.”
Pastor Tony Thompason, Chair of Churches Together in Luton said, “I find it incredible that Luton can be described in such a way. Similarly to Sarah Owen MP as a Luton resident this is not something I recognise.”
The C of E Minister Revd Dr Luke Larner said in his Facebook post, “Apparently Blake Stephenson MP has claimed there are “no go zones” in Luton for white people. As the local vicar living and serving in the greater Bury Park area I’d be happy to show Mr Stephenson around the parish and ask him to point out the no-go zones, cos I haven’t seen any.”
Revd Bonnie Evans-Hills, former C of E St Albans Diocesan Inter Faith Advisor recalled, “I was told that when I worked in Luton. I purposefully made my first visit to Luton to be walking around Bury Park, going in shops & cafes. Had such great conversations with people. Later people told me I was brave Hardly! Yes, a white woman in a very recognisable dog collar. The only threat I’ve ever felt has been from privileged white City men on the Eurostar. (Actually there were a number of such incidents - witnessing sexist bullying on London trains, and much more. All privileged white men.)”
Sarah Allen, a former local authority employee in Luton said, “I remember being stuck driving through Bury Park on my own one evening when Pakistan won the cricket world. There were young men celebrating in the street and the road. My car was surrounded by celebrating young men. For a fraction of a second I was nervous, then it occurred to me that none of these men were drunk and they were just celebrating. I have also experienced driving though the town when an EDL march was starting. I drove past lots of men, many with skin heads and many wearing black balaclavas. I was not surrounded by them. There was a much larger physical separation distance between us and the speed of my car was not impacted by their crowds. My nervous system told me simply which group of men were more frightening and it was the men that looked more like me. The Conservative shadow Home Office Minister should do better. He is no better than Reform agitators. How has he possibly got a shadow position?”
A Catholic Priest in Luton Fr Allan Jones said, “Whenever I've walked through Bury Park in my cassock all I have had is politeness and people greeting me, when I walk through predominantly white areas in my cassock, apart from parishioners, people cross the street.”
A Luton based Methodist Minister, Revd Jenny Spouge also said in her Facebook Post “I cannot think of anywhere in Luton I wouldn’t go as a white person. There are maybe some bits I wouldn’t go to at night as a woman but that’s true everywhere, and when I lived in Biscot I preferred walking home at night through Bury Park as it was lively and full of people with shops open late - felt much safe than New Bedford Road at the town end with those locked metal gates up to big houses and blocks of private flats. The man has no clue.”
Sujel Miah, on behalf of Luton Council of Mosques said, “I am sure many of you will already be aware of the deeply concerning comments attributed to our MP, Blake Stephenson, regarding so-called “no-go zones” in Luton for white people: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/oct/05/tory-shadow-minister-luton-no-go-zones-white-people-blake-stephenson
We find such a portrayal of our town extremely dangerous. The idea that parts of Luton are inaccessible or unsafe for people because they are ‘white’ is a serious misrepresentation of our town and reinforcing narratives that are rooted in racism, xenophobia and far-right extremist ideology.
What makes these comments particularly concerning is that they have come from someone who holds elected office and has a position of influence and authority. Words from those in positions of power carry significant weight. When such narratives are presented publicly as fact, they legitimise prejudice, deepen mistrust between communities and fuel hostility and hatred.
We urge our local MPs, councillors, Luton Council and Bedfordshire police to publicly challenge and distance themselves from such divisive and inflammatory rhetoric. Silence risks allowing these narratives to become normalised. Elected representatives have a responsibility to promote truth, fairness, community cohesion and respect for all residents. Political disagreement is entirely legitimate, but deliberately and recklessly portraying parts of our town as “no-go zones” for people of a particular race is untrue and dangerous.
We hope you will respond to these comments jointly and make clear that racism, xenophobia and attempts to divide Luton’s communities have no place in our town. Luton has its challenges but it also has a proud history of diverse communities living alongside one another, building relationships and working together for the betterment of our town. We should be strengthening those relationships, not creating fear and suspicion between communities.
At a time when tensions and division are already heightened, those in positions of leadership should be bringing people together, challenging prejudice and standing firmly against anyone seeking to spread hate, fear and division.
____________________________
Trevor Rodenhurst KPM, Chief Constable, Bedfordshire Police said, “ While Bedfordshire Police does not get involved in political debate, I do believe it is important that public statements about our communities are grounded in fact. From a policing perspective, I can categorically state that there are no areas, streets or neighbourhoods in Luton, or indeed anywhere in Bedfordshire, that are "no-go zones" for Bedfordshire Police. Nor do I recognise the suggestion that any part of Luton is off limits to people because of their race, faith or background.
Like every town and city, Luton faces challenges and there are locations where policing, and wider partnership activity are rightly focused. However, Bedfordshire Police, police every part of the town and work positively with communities of all backgrounds across Luton every day. I have also conveyed this view publicly in response to media enquiries today.
Luton is a diverse town with a strong tradition of communities living, working and studying alongside one another. Maintaining trust, confidence and cohesion between those communities remains important, and Bedfordshire Police will continue to work with partners, faith leaders and community representatives to keep people safe and to challenge those who seek to create division.
____________________________
You calso read a letter from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire
