Most people living in Newham say the borough’s diversity is “normal and an asset to the area,” according to a council-funded study.
The study, published on Friday (13 March) by think tank British Future, looked into “inclusion and belonging” in Newham.
It found that a majority of people living in the borough “consider the area
to be cohesive, with people from different backgrounds living well together”.
It said: “Our research finds that Newham is a place where diversity is seen as an everyday fact – and as something to value, too”.
However, the report also found “underlying public concerns about tensions in the community”.
It said half of people who responded to its survey said there was either a “great deal” or a “fair amount of tension between new migrants and settled residents”.
It said this concern was stronger among black and Asian than white people.
The survey also found that 47 per cent of people reported “tensions between rich and poor” – rising to 61 per cent among people who earn less than £25,000 a year.
British Future said people it spoke to in focus groups felt that “national polarisation and international conflict could increase anxieties and stir up tensions locally”.
It said: “Far-right disorder unfolding in other towns and cities sparked fears and a sense of threat for some participants, who felt open racism was becoming more prevalent online and in demonstrations such as the nearby Tommy Robinson ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march”.
British Future compiled its report based on a survey carried out between July and October 2025 which received “responses with detailed suggestions from 365 residents”.
It also spoke to 59 residents in focus groups, held discussions with civil society groups, faith groups and businesses and carried out interviews with council staff.
Its recommendations to the council included coming up with a calendar of community events and protecting community spaces such as libraries.
Labour mayor Rokhsana Fiaz commissioned the study, although British Future said it worked independently of the council. Its director Sunder Katwala is a former general secretary of the Labour-linked Fabian Society.
Fiaz said: “The commission’s findings show that our residents value community, are proud of their neighbourhoods and want more opportunities to participate in civic life. They see diversity as part of the fabric of everyday life here in Newham”.
The report’s publication comes after Reform UK’s candidate for Newham mayor, Clive Furness, suggested people in the borough were “dividing on the basis of ethnicity and religion”.
Announcing his candidacy earlier this month, the former Labour councillor spoke of the “Balkanisation of Britain”. He said Labour’s response was to “appease the most reactionary parts of our society”.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) this week, Furness said people in Newham got on “99% of the time”.
However he suggested there were sometimes problems “between Africans and Asians” or “between Hindus and Muslims”.
He said: “I think there are lots of areas where the differences between people could easily become more motivating than the things they have in common”.
Furness also suggested that various parties’ election campaigns in the borough were being run on racial lines.
He said: “People are talking in terms of ethnic groups voting in particular ways that reflect ethnic interests”.
A London Labour spokesperson told the LDRS: “Newham is one of the most diverse places in the country and that diversity is something residents are proud of.”
“Time and again [Reform] insult our communities and show they are deeply uncomfortable with the multiculturalism that makes our city the greatest in the world”.
Miriam Scharf, co-chair of Newham Stand Up To Racism, told the LDRS: “[Furness] talks about ‘people being divided on the basis of ethnicity and religion’. But the opposite is the case.
“We enjoy each others differences, we learn from each others cultures”.
