Britons could soon gain the right to define themselves as black English or Asian English on official forms after senior MPs launched a cross-platform push to broaden ethnicity categories on the national census.
The St George’s Bill in Parliament
Liberal Democrat MP Josh Babarinde tabled a private member’s bill in the House of Commons to update the ethnic group question for future censuses in England. Formally known as the English Ethnic Identity (census particulars) Bill and dubbed the St George’s Bill
by supporters, the measure requires the census to give respondents in every category the option to identify as English.
The 10-minute rule bill received cross-party backing from high-profile figures including Labour’s David Lammy, Conservative Sir James Cleverly, Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, Labour’s Adam Jogee, Conservative Mark Pritchard, Liberal Democrat chair of the health select committee Layla Moran, and Lib Dem Munira Wilson.
While 10-minute rule bills rarely become law, MPs use them as legislative devices to raise specific policy matters and gauge the strength of support for a campaign. Babarinde asked for the bill to return to the Commons for its second reading debate on 23 April 2027, which is St George’s Day, though it is unlikely to advance further in its current form due to a lack of parliamentary time.
Challenging the Census Categories
The legislative push is a direct response to how Englishness is currently classified on census forms. In England, the ethnic group question offers “English” only within the “White” category.
Although roughly 11% of the UK-born population in England and Wales amounts to about 5 million people from minority ethnic backgrounds, Asian, black, mixed, and other respondents can describe themselves as British—such as Asian or Asian British
—but have no equivalent option for Englishness.
Supporters point out that this stands in sharp contrast to censuses in Scotland and Wales, which offer distinct combined categories such as Scottish Asian
and Black Welsh
.
Without these options in England, Babarinde noted that respondents are relegated to a miscellaneous write-in box that may as well be the margin
. The current framework means that roughly 60% of England’s World Cup squad would not technically be classified as English on census forms.
Suella Braverman Sparks Debate over English Ethnicity
The debate has laid bare divisions over national identity within politics, sparked in part by comments from Reform UK MP Suella Braverman. In 2025, Braverman wrote in the Daily Telegraph that she was British Asian but could not claim to be English despite being born and educated in England. She reaffirmed that stance recently on X, arguing that calling herself English would require a laissez-faire, anything-goes
approach to ethnicity and citizenship.
Englishness is an ethnicity. There have been English people for centuries and we need to recognise this more if we are to start taking a more muscular approach to citizenship and nationality. And no, it’s not racist to say this.
Babarinde strongly criticized those remarks, telling the BBC that certain corners of politics were attempting to gatekeep Englishness exclusively for white people. Speaking about his own background, Babarinde addressed the Commons with a personal appeal regarding his heritage.
But my parents and I were born in England, we grew up in England, our home is in England, yet some voices attempt to reduce Englishness to a skin colour and to a bloodline.
Reactions Across the Political Spectrum
The debate has generated friction even within political parties. Braverman’s remarks drew public pushback from within Reform UK itself. Party chair Zia Yusuf distanced himself from her position, stating that he views Ashley Cole as English because in my view Ashley Cole is the best English fullback in history, and I won’t take any other position
.
David Lammy added his voice to the campaign, highlighting the personal frustration the current forms cause for families with mixed heritage.
It is quite absurd that neither I or my mixed heritage children can describe themselves as black or mixed race and English on our census form.
Lammy called the current policy backward racial gatekeeping
and urged Parliament to bring England into alignment with Scotland and Wales.
