Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has backed legislative proposals to add Black English and Asian English as formal tick-box options in future national censuses.

The parliamentary push would give respondents explicit categories combining English identity with Black or Asian ethnicity. Its practical significance lies in how people could describe themselves on the census, rather than simply in the terminology used by politicians.

Burnham’s support has drawn praise from politicians across party lines, who see his stance as a rejection of ethnic definitions of British identity that they regard as outdated.

The proposals seek a change to future census options; Burnham’s backing does not itself establish that the categories will be adopted. The timetable and prospects for their inclusion remain unclear.