Everyone deserves to feel like they belong in our great city

Division is not a new phenomenon.

Historically, our city has in the past experienced unbearable, seemingly irreconcilable differences.

Nevertheless, London’s unique history and success have always been built not just on free markets, but on the free movement of people and an openness to those who are different from us.

That is as true now as it was in the past – recent work by McKinsey found that companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity are 35 per cent more likely to generate above average returns.

But we stand at an important moment in the history of London and the UK. There have been few eras in our lifetime which have been more dramatic or polarising.

On Monday, I was pleased to introduce a panel at St Paul’s Cathedral with this paper’s editor and others from professions across London.

This debate, organised by the St Paul’s Institute, posed vital questions about belonging and difference in the London of today. It was a valuable lesson in how we can all contribute to making people feel welcome here.

I firmly believe that London’s diversity is its strength. Living and working alongside many different kinds of people offers an opportunity for us to learn, to enjoy varied ways to celebrate with each other, comfort one another, and cheer each other on.

I am acutely aware, however, that while it is easy to talk about the importance of welcoming everyone, putting that into practice is much more difficult.

Inevitably, we tend to hunker down with our own and, consolidating our sense of belonging within our own communities, we set ourselves apart from others.

Our challenge, then, is not to pretend that we are all alike, but to learn to overcome our desire to carve out territory only for ourselves.

One of the messages we must hear loud and clear from the Brexit referendum is: “What about me?”

Since the vote, we have heard much about the people who feel left behind, overlooked by employers, public services, and politicians.

Many express concern that we have assumed that everyone already here will quickly be able to adjust to new neighbours, different languages spoken on public transport, and unfamiliar food in the supermarkets.

Now, as we try to forge a path forward, we Londoners must try to rectify this by ensuring that the city’s infrastructure, employment practices, and banking systems help all of us to flourish.

What does our social housing policy tell us, for example, about who is welcome here, when we move our more affordable housing out of the capital?

What does that say to the people I see on the Tube early in the morning, travelling long distances to low-paid jobs cleaning the buildings where some of the country’s highest-paid people work?

My colleague, the Bishop of Kensington, Dr Graham Tomlin, summed it up well when he said recently, responding to the tragedy of Grenfell Tower: “The Christian view of social relations tells us that my neighbour is not so much a threat, or a limitation, but a gift. If my own individuality is constituted by my relationships, not my own inner elusive personality or choices, then without my neighbour I cannot become my full self.”

That is one way of seeing it. But the question of how we treat those around us and of who is welcome in London is not purely theological.

All individuals, organisations, and politicians have some gritty realities to face about our economy, our infrastructure, and our policymaking.

At this moment in history, we must all step up to make sure that London remains a place for all.