# MPs seek English identity option for all ethnic groups in census

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/black-english-and-asian-english-should-be-census-options-mps-say/
- Published: 2026-11-09T16:19:11+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-09T16:55:36+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/nov/09/black-english-asian-english-should-be-census-options-mps
- Topics: Asia, Politics, UK, World

## Key points

- MPs want census respondents to combine English identity with any ethnic group.
- The current England form lists English only under White.
- A proposed bill would change future census options.

## Summary

A cross-party group of MPs is calling for census respondents in England to be able to identify as both English and members of any ethnic group. The proposal challenges the current form, which offers “English” only under the “White” category, and comes amid political debate over who can claim an English identity.

Liberal Democrat Josh Babarinde is tabling a 10-minute rule bill, backed by MPs including David Lammy, James Cleverly and Mark Pritchard. Around 11% of people born in the UK and living in England and Wales, about five million, are from minority ethnic backgrounds; census forms in Scotland and Wales already include options such as “Scottish Asian” and “Black Welsh”. The bill would require future censuses in England to let people in every ethnic group identify as English, though such bills rarely become law.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.