A fresh 'tokenistic' diversity drive to recruit more women and ethnic troops is threatening to humiliate Britain's military and sideline white candidates from joining the forces, the Shadow Defence Secretary warned.
James Cartlidge fears the military could be sucked into another RAF-style discrimination scandal over its new recruitment deal with operator, Serco.
Defence chiefs are still reeling from the 2023 controversy, which saw Royal Air Force top brass coming under fire for a secret bid to discriminate against male applicants seeking to become pilots.
The decision sparked widespread fury and was found to be unlawful. Military bosses have since u-turned and urged previously overlooked candidates to re-apply for training in a frantic attempt to fill cockpits with combat-ready flyers.
However, fears of a repeat fiasco have emerged today after Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard revealed new details about the Government's latest recruitment contract, set to go live in 2027.
