# Andy Burnham Backs New Ethnicity Options for 2031 Census Proposed legislation seeks to include Black English and Asian English categories in census. - **Source:** [BBC News – Politics](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics) - **Published:** 2026-11-11 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/f34bbb14-b7b6-434b-8ad7-0f3ea970f6e8 ## Proposed Census Reform Liberal Democrat MP Josh Babarinde has introduced a private member's bill proposing the inclusion of Black English and Asian English as distinct categories in the 2031 census. Currently, these identities are not explicitly listed, forcing respondents to use free-form text boxes, which proponents argue marginalizes these specific cultural and ethnic identities. ## Burnham's Political Stance Andy Burnham signaled support for the proposal during Prime Minister's Questions, framing the move as a necessary step to counter divisive political discourse. While he expressed a willingness to back the bill, he noted that he had not yet reviewed the specific legislative details or confirmed government time for parliamentary debate. ## Historical Census Context The 2021 census categorized English identity strictly under the broader white heading, lacking specific options for Black or Asian English. In contrast, Wales and Scotland included regional variations like Asian Welsh or Scottish Asian within their broader categories, highlighting a significant inconsistency in how national identity is recorded across the United Kingdom. ## Legislative Hurdles Ahead Private members' bills rarely become law without direct government support, serving primarily as tools to raise public awareness and generate media attention. Despite the backing of high-profile figures like David Lammy and Sir James Cleverly, the bill faces an uncertain path toward becoming official policy before the next population count occurs. ## Identity Debate Origins The push for these changes follows recent public debates regarding the definition of Englishness. Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman has argued that Englishness is an ethnicity, asserting that claiming it denies her Asian heritage. This perspective has fueled the current legislative effort to formalize dual ethnic and national identities on official forms. ## Statistical Service Review The Office for National Statistics has been developing a new approach to ethnicity questions since 2022. An update on this work is expected this Thursday, which could influence the final structure of the 2031 census. However, the specific questionnaire design is typically finalized much closer to the actual census date. ## Procedural Timeline Constraints Legislation for the 2021 census was published in the summer of 2020, less than a year before the survey took place. Given this precedent, the government has significant time to evaluate Babarinde's proposal. Any major changes to the census structure require careful legislative planning and coordination with the national statistical authorities. ## Broader Social Implications The debate reflects deeper tensions regarding national identity and representation in modern Britain. By potentially allowing citizens to define themselves as Black English or Asian English, the government aims to foster inclusivity. Whether this legislative effort succeeds will depend on the government's willingness to prioritize this specific issue over other legislative agendas. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8dx160v9zrno?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._