MI6’s new drive to recruit black and Asian spies

IAN Fleming’s 007 is seen as the archetypical MI6 agent – a suave, white, Oxbridgeeducated man with a thirst for high-living and impressive powers of seduction.

But in a major diversity drive, MI6 will this week launch a campaign to attract more black and Asian spies.

For the first time in its history, two of its black and Asian directors will give interviews on BBC radio.

It’s also the first time MI6 has acknowledged that it employs ethnic minority staff at such a senior level.

They report to chief Sir Richard Moore, known as C, and his three director-generals, who are all women.

The recruitment campaign begins at 9pm tonight on Radio 1Xtra when a black MI6 director called Kwame will talk about ‘what it takes to work for MI6’.

Tomorrow another director, Jay, who is of Indian origin, will speak on the Nihal Arthanayake show on Radio 5 Live from 1pm.

Intelligence sources said black and Asian spies were needed to help MI6 fight international terrorism and gather intelligence on hostile states such as Russia and Iran. Just under nine per cent of MI6 staff are from an ethnic minority, compared to the 15 per cent average for Whitehall departments, and their average salary is 13.2 per cent less than that of white colleagues.

The BBC interviews are likely to dispel popular myths about MI6, such as 007 James Bond’s ‘licence to kill’ power.

Another misconception is the ‘tap on the shoulder’ at an Oxbridge college as a way to recruit agents.

All applications for spies, known as intelligence officers, are usually through its website, with starting salaries from £39,709 to £50,160.

Last month MI6, MI5 and GCHQ published pay gap reports revealing ethnic minorities and women were receiving significantly less in salary and bonuses than white male counterparts.

The statistics showed 38 per cent of MI6 staff are women but men are paid an average 12.9 per cent more.

Sir Richard said the pay figures were ‘disappointing’ but added that MI6 was committed to increasing ethnic minority staff as part of its ‘People Strategy’.

‘They’ll dispel myth of a licence to kill’