Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

‘Met Police still has issues with racism and diversity’

by NADEEM BADSHAH

A FORMER Metropolitan Police sergeant says evidence shows Britain’s biggest force is still “institutionally racist” and needs to improve its record on retaining ethnic minority staff.


With the Met Police marking 20 years since the publication of the landmark Macpherson Inquiry into racism within its ranks, Gurpal Virdi said there has not been enough progress.

Virdi, who served 30 years with the Met, gave evidence to the public inquiry in 1999 into the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence by a group of white youths, which concluded the force was “institutionally racist”.

But he believes speaking out about discrimination led to him being falsely accused of racism, shunned by colleagues, turned down for promotion and wrongly accused of assault.

Virdi said police chiefs need to be held to account in order to increase diversity in the Met, but rejected claims from the force’s head of public relations that it would take 100 years to achieve.

He told Eastern Eye: “I disagree that it will take 100 years. The number of BAME people joining has increased since the early 90s, but the retention rate remains very poor.

“Most new recruits leave within five years of joining because conditions are very bad.

“If you look at me, in 2012 I was number 13 of BAME officers to have completed the full 30 years.

“Sadly most of my colleagues had left. Many leave as there are no career prospects, [due to] underlying racism and discrimination and because of high dismissal rates.

“The Met is still institutionally racist. This can be confirmed by the evidence given at the recent Macpherson 20 Years inquiry.”

Virdi, who is also a former west London councillor, added: “Stop and search figures reveal in 1999 it was six times, in 2008 seven times and in 2017 it was eight times a BAME person is more likely to be stopped and searched.

“Deaths related to knife crime have rocketed in London, affecting BAME communities.

“[Met] Commissioner Cressida Dick is the first female to hold this rank. She is in a position to make changes to BAME numbers, [but] two years on there is no ‘real’ evidence to substantiate that.

“The London mayor Sadiq Khan and home secretary Sajid Javid both are in a position to hold her to account.”

Virdi joined the force in the early 1980s but was fired after being falsely accused of sending racist mail to colleagues at Ealing police station in west London.

Met chiefs later apologised and paid him damages, and he was allowed to return to work. But Virdi said he was shunned by colleagues and treated unfairly until he retired in 2012.

Since 1999, police chiefs have been trying to get the proportion of officers from ethnic minorities to match the diversity of the populations they serve. But none of the 43 forces in England and Wales has achieved that target.

Sara Thornton, chair of the National Police Chiefs Council, has called for new laws to allow forces to positively discriminate in favour of minority ethnic recruits (see related story, above).

Virdi, whose biography Behind The Blue Line talks about his experiences, said: “There was a positive drive by the government to recruit more women. Police forces with the support of the Police Federation around the country responded, [and] a third of the police are now female.

“This has been as a result of ‘positive action’. When something similar is suggested on BAME officers, it is referred to as ‘positive discrimination’. The wording is very important. London is represented by 40 per cent BAME communities, yet we only have 13 per cent of BAME officers.

“This is a very poor record for past commissioners, home secretaries, mayors and the Police Federation, and I have raised this several times.”

He added: “Sara Thornton was chief constable of Thames Valley Police. She was in a position to improve the numbers but she also sadly failed as her force only had five per cent of BAME officers.

“Ms Thornton was also chair of the National Police Chief’s council and again failed to deal with the problem. ... Only now she is raising the unfairness.”

Meanwhile, Dick, Britain’s most senior police officer, said the Macpherson report was “the most important thing that’s happened in my service”.

But she does not believe the force is still “institutionally racist”.

She said: “I simply don’t see it as a helpful or accurate description. This is an utterly different Metropolitan Police.”

More For You

uk weather

Forecasters say 30–40mm of rain is likely to fall widely

iStock

Met Office issues yellow weather warnings as heavy rain threatens flooding in 15 UK areas

Highlights:

  • Two yellow weather warnings issued for parts of Wales and the Midlands
  • Up to 70mm of rain expected, bringing risk of flooding, power cuts and travel delays
  • Flood alerts in place for rivers in Cumbria, Devon, Cornwall and Carmarthenshire
  • Residents advised to prepare emergency kits and stay updated with forecasts

Heavy rainfall set to cause disruption

The Met Office has issued two yellow weather warnings covering parts of Wales and the Midlands today, with forecasters warning of potential flooding, travel disruption and power cuts. Between 6am and 11am, persistent downpours are expected to sweep eastwards, bringing nearly a month’s worth of rain in just a few hours.

Areas under warning

South and southwest Wales are expected to be worst affected, with Ceredigion, Conwy, Gwynedd and Powys in the Midlands also on alert. In Wales, warnings apply to Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Donald Trump and Melania Trump

Donald Trump and Melania Trump exit Air Force One after arriving at London Stansted Airport for a state visit on September 16, 2025 in Stansted, Essex. (Photo: Getty Images)

UK rolls out royal welcome as Trump begins second state visit

Highlights:

  • Trump begins his second state visit to the UK with a royal welcome at Windsor Castle
  • Prince William, Catherine, King Charles and Queen Camilla take part in ceremony
  • State banquet and trade talks with prime minister Keir Starmer scheduled
  • Protests and security operation mark visit amid political challenges

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump began his unprecedented second state visit to Britain on Wednesday with a lavish welcome from King Charles and the royal family at Windsor Castle.

Keep ReadingShow less
11th UK Gatka Championship

All winners received medals and trophies

UK Parliament

11th UK Gatka Championship ends with Welsh debut and £1,000 support for Gatka Akharas

Highlights:

  • The 11th UK National Gatka Championship was hosted near Cardiff, marking the first time in Wales.
  • Winners included Roop Kaur (girls), Navjot Singh (boys), and Gurdeep Singh (men’s).
  • Gatka Federation UK awarded £1,000 to each participating Akhara to support martial arts promotion.
  • Chief guests included MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi and Harjeet Singh Grewal, President of the World Gatka Federation.

Gatka Championship marks Welsh debut

The 11th UK National Gatka Championship concluded on a high note near Cardiff, Wales, showcasing the traditional Sikh martial art with flair. Seven leading Gatka Akharas participated, thrilling spectators with their lightning-fast strikes, precision moves and elegant techniques.

Inauguration by global leaders

The tournament was inaugurated by Harjeet Singh Grewal, President of the World Gatka Federation (WGF) and the National Gatka Association of India (NGAI). He was joined by Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP, President of Gatka Federation UK, alongside other dignitaries including Jagbir Singh Jagga Chakar, President of Wales Kabaddi Club, and community leaders from the Haveli Hotel Pontyclun.

Keep ReadingShow less
Vantara

The site, located in Gujarat, houses hundreds of elephants, as well as 50 bears, 160 tigers, 200 lions, 250 leopards, and 900 crocodiles. (Photo: Instagram/Vantara)

India court probe clears Ambani family’s animal centre

AN INDIAN Supreme Court-ordered investigation has cleared a large private animal facility run by the son of Asia’s richest man, rejecting allegations of wildlife violations.

Vantara, described as the “world’s biggest wild animal rescue centre,” is operated by Anant Ambani, son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer

Starmer, who has faced negative coverage since taking office in July 2024, defended the appointment process.

Reuters

Starmer: I would not have appointed Mandelson if aware of Epstein ties

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer said on Monday he would not have appointed Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington had he known the extent of his links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

This was Starmer’s first public statement since dismissing Mandelson last week. The prime minister is facing questions over his judgement, including from Labour MPs, after initially standing by Mandelson before removing him from the post.

Keep ReadingShow less