Overview

• West Yorkshire Police confirms the use of 'positive action' under the Equality Act 2010 to address the underrepresentation of ethnic minorities in its ranks.
• The force allows ethnic minority candidates to apply early but denies claims of an outright block on white British applicants, emphasizing that all recruitment decisions are merit-based.
• Critics, including Tory and Reform MPs, accuse the force of unfairly disadvantaging white candidates, with some labeling the practices as discriminatory and unlawful.
• A controversial ranking system reportedly categorizes candidates by ethnicity, with minority applicants receiving higher priority tiers such as 'gold' and 'silver,' while white candidates are placed in a 'bronze' tier.
• Home Secretary Yvette Cooper states that West Yorkshire Police's recruitment practices meet required standards and are being monitored to ensure fairness and compliance with legal frameworks.