Ethnic minorities are majority in three boroughs

Ethnic communities have become the majority in three London boroughs, new figures show today.

People from black and Asian groups now total more than the white communities in Tower Hamlets, Brent and Newham.

Much of the growth in ethnic groups is likely to be due to immigration, with many new UK arrivals heading for London where they have family or community links.

The figures emerge in the 2002 Labour Force Survey, which found 65.2 per cent of people in Newham were from ethnic minorities, 60 per cent in Brent and 55 per cent in Tower Hamlets. Other areas with high minority populations include Ealing with 43.8 per cent, Harrow 42.8 per cent, Redbridge 41.3 per cent and Hackney 41.2 per cent.

In England as a whole, the survey found, 9.3 per cent of the population is made up of ethnic minorities.