RAF payouts to 31 ‘useless white male’ recruits
RAF bosses are paying out £155,000 in compensation to 31 applicants they branded “useless white male pilots” during a recruitment drive aimed at improving diversity in the ranks.
Leaked emails exposed the comments that resulted in the 31 being unfairly disadvantaged and will lead to each of them receiving a payout of £5,000.
Minorities
The RAF confirmed that 31 individuals were receiving payments but did not confirm the amounts. The emails also revealed that selection boards to place new recruits on courses were axed if they did not include enough women or ethnic minorities.
Boosting numbers is seen as one of Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston’s main goals, but sources said they contrast with his assurances that white men would not be actively discriminated against. The Chief of the Air Staff is due to retire this week. An RAF spokesman said last night: “Selection standards have not been altered and there was no compromise of entry standards or impact on the frontline or operational effectiveness.”
But a defence source called the emails a “smoking gun”. Last year, Group Captain Elizabeth Nicholl, then head of RAF recruitment, allegedly quit in protest at what she saw as an “unlawful order” to pause the selection of white male recruits for training in favour of women and ethnic minorities to hit “impossible” targets. That order was not implemented because of her resignation, but it is claimed the RAF had taken steps to “artificially inflate” diversity numbers before Group Captain Nicholl took charge.
The emails date back when recruitment and selection was led by her predecessor, Group Captain William Dole in 2020-21.
It is believed they have been submitted with other emails as evidence to an internal Ministry of Defence inquiry into why Group Captain Nicholl resigned.
Focused
In a January 2021 email, a squadron leader in the recruitment force said: “The boards have recently been predominantly white male heavy. If we don’t have enough Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and females to board then we need to make the decision to pause boarding and seek [them]…
“I don’t really need to see loads of useless white male pilots. Let’s get as focused as possible.”
The RAF spokesman said last night the service was trying to get talent from “across the UK workforce”.
He added: “We will continue doing everything we can to increase our recruiting intake from under-represented groups within the provisions of the law.”