Shoppers on East Ham high street in Newham (Picture: Alamy)

The BBC is going to show a documentary on changing attitudes towards immigrants in Newham.

‘Last Whites of the East End’, which will be broadcast on BBC One, will take a stark look at people’s attitudes to residents of other races in the east London borough.

While gentrification, rising house prices, a lack of affordable social housing and rising in-work poverty drive people further out of the capital and ravage the city, some in this documentary have focused their dislike on the area’s increased diversity.

Many reports have since implied this shows an irreversible, undesirable change in the area – that some intangible quality is being lost.




But what does this show really reveal?

What did people say about immigration?

The show focuses on immigration in Newham over the last 15 years, and claims people feel ‘like foreigners in their own land’ as ‘Cockney culture disappears’.

Er... Where and what is Newham? Newham is an east London borough, and one of the country’s poorest areas.

It is in the worst four boroughs of inequality, homelessness, unemployment and in-work poverty.

However, it is in the top 16 boroughs for its quality of education.

It is one of the most multicultural places in the UK – a total of 147 languages are spoken across the borough.

Many of the people they spoke to appeared to put this down to the borough’s diversity – rather than the gentrification, lack of affordable housing and in-work poverty that is making the city unlivable for many others.

A young mum called Leanne, for example, has decided to move to Essex to be among her ‘own people’ – to the chagrin of her family, who remain in the area.

And Peter Bell, the secretary at East Ham Working Men’s Club, described the borough as ‘a slum’.

‘I mean no disrespect to the Muslim community,’ he told MailOnline, ‘but I don’t think they want to be part of the traditions here.’

Peter Bell was one of the residents who spoke to the BBC (Picture: Lambent Productions)

Are White British people a minority in Newham?

No. Despite the apparent fear of immigration among some of its residents, and a number of people relocating outside London, White British is still Newham’s largest ethnic group – accounting for 17 per cent of the population.

The largest ethnic minority group in the borough is Indian, which makes up just 14 per cent.

Who lives in Newham? White British 17% White Other 12% Indian 14% African 12% Bangladeshi 12% Pakistani 10% Other Asian 6% Caribbean 5% Other Black 3% Others 9% Share

Source: Centre of Dynamics of Ethnicity/University of Manchester

Does everyone feel this way about immigration?

No, there were notable exceptions. Emma Peltier, head teacher of Drew Primary, told the BBC she embraces the way her pupils accept each other, regardless of culture or race.

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‘We no longer live in a mono-cultural society, we have 43 languages spoken and at least once a week we have a child arrive who has no English,’ she said.

‘But really quickly children pick up the language.

‘Schools and children can be a fantastic way of people assimilating into society because children don’t see colour, and children don’t see religion.

‘Children don’t see all of those things that adults may see.’

Is immigration a recent phenomenon in east London?

Cohen & Sons grocers on Brick Lane, around 1890 (Picture: Alamy)

Not really.

Hackney and Tower Hamlets – arguably the heart of Cockney culture – have always been hotspots for diversity and change.

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Brick Lane for example, now known as London’s ‘Banglatown’ with a large Bengali population, was known as the heart of the Jewish East End in the early-to-mid 20th century. Before this it was mostly a Christian area.

And now, with house prices rising and the area being more fashionable, working class people of all races are being priced out.



In fact, the area’s history of diversity can be seen in one building – the Brick Lane Masjid, which was a synagogue before it was a mosque, and a church before it was a synagogue.

So to define ‘east London culture’ as any one thing is arguably a bit disingenous, given its mixed history.