spˈiːkɪŋ æt ðə lˈeɪbɚ pˈɑːɹɾi kˈɑːnfɹəns ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvən hiː ˈæskt "wˌʌt ɪz bɹˈɪɾɪʃnəs ˈɛnɪwˌeɪ?" ænd sˈɛd ðæt ˈɛθnɪk maɪnˈɔːɹᵻɾiz ʃˌʊd ɛŋɡˈeɪdʒ wɪððə kˈɑːnsɛpt ʌv bɹˈɪɾɪʃnəs wˌɪtʃ hiː kˈɔːld ˈeɪ "vˈɛɹi daɪvˈɜːs ænd plˈʊɹɹəl aɪdˈɛntᵻɾi".
Speaking at the Labour Party Conference in 2007 he asked "What is Britishness anyway?" and said that ethnic minorities should engage with the concept of Britishness which he called a "very diverse and plural identity".