Overview

• Mornington Street in Leicester has the highest proportion of non-English speakers in Britain, with 43% of adults speaking little or no English, according to the 2021 Census.
• Leicester's native-born population has declined from 65% in 2011 to 57% in 2021, reflecting broader demographic shifts in the city.
• Residents cite linguistic comfort zones and community networks as reasons for limited English acquisition, with younger generations often translating for older family members.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to cut net migration by 100,000 annually and establish overseas return hubs for failed asylum seekers, sparking both praise and criticism.
• Starmer’s rhetoric, warning of an 'island of strangers,' has drawn comparisons to Enoch Powell’s divisive 1968 speech, highlighting ongoing tensions in the national migration debate.