RAF recruitment boss says she is 'unashamed' of diversity targets
Woman in charge of RAF recruitment says she is ‘unashamed’ of diversity targets that could mean women and ethnic minorities are prioritised for roles over white men
- Air Vice-Marshal Maria Byford has defended the RAF’s diversity targets
- The recruitment boss said a more diverse staff would make the force ‘better’
- Sources claimed that the RAF has ‘effectively paused’ recruitment of white men
- The Air Force has since been accused of ‘pandering to political correctness’
The boss of RAF recruitment has said she is ‘unashamed’ of the force’s diversity targets, amid claims that it has effectively paused its recruitment of white men.
Air Vice-Marshal Maria Byford, chief of staff personnel and air secretary, said that recruiting more women and ethnic minorities would result in ‘a better service in the long run’.
Earlier this week defence sources alleged that the unnamed female head of RAF recruitment resigned in protest over an ‘effective pause’ in offering jobs to white men.
Air Vice-Marshal Byford, the woman in charge of RAF recruitment, said she is ‘unashamed’ of the force’s diversity targets, amid claims that it has effectively paused its recruitment of white men
The sources said the RAF was attempting to hit ‘impossible’ diversity targets.
Air Vice-Marshal Byford, one of the most senior ranking women in the military, told The Times that she had ‘slowed down’ recruitment processes for all candidates after failing to meet diversity targets.
She said: ‘I want the best people. So I need the best people to join to achieve the best they can during their service career and we get… what we need from an operational capability perspective.
‘And if I can include more women and more people from different backgrounds in that, I think I have a better service in the long run.
‘We are unashamed about doing that because I think that’s a good thing.’
At present, RAF candidates can be put forward for training immediately after they meet the requirements of the ‘first past the post’ type-system, rather than being merited on how well they perform in certain stages of the process.
The Vice-Marshal, who has served in the force for more than 30 years, said the RAF will look at how to use ‘positive action’ legally so recruits who have passed the basic requirements to join the force can be selected on merit as well as their gender and ethnicity.
She confirmed that women could be picked over men if they were underrepresented in that role and they had met the required standards.
Earlier this week defence sources claimed that the head of RAF recruitment resigned over an ‘effective pause’ in the hiring of white men. Sources said that the force was trying to hit ‘impossible’ diversity targets
There has been a fierce backlash to the recruitment from former military personnel as well as politicians, who have claimed that the recruitment pause ‘is an example of pandering to political correctness’.
Former health secretary Sajid Javid said it would be ‘complete nonsense’ if the RAF has paused recruitment of white males.
He told Sky News: ‘I don’t think any organisation, whether it’s the RAF or any other public or private organisation, should be recruiting on the basis of one’s race.
‘Of course, we want to see a diverse workforce, we want to see all talents come through.
‘And I happen to think having more diversity actually increases the productivity of your workforce.
‘But it should not be based on race – whether it’s black, white or anything.’
Defence sources, who spoke to Sky News, accused the head of the RAF, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, of seeming willing to priotise diversity and inclusion over UK security – at a time when threats from Russia and China are increasing.
A spokesperson for the Conservative Party leadership hopeful, Rishi Sunak, said: ‘The only thing that should matter in recruitment is the content of your character, not your sex or the colour of your skin.
‘That the Ministry of Defence would allow Britain’s security to potentially be put at risk by a drive for so called ‘diversity’ is not only disgraceful, it is dangerous.’
Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander in Afghanistan, said: ‘This idea of diversity now dominates the thinking of senior leaders in all of the Armed Forces.
‘They have become seized by the need for political correctness over the need for combat effectiveness and that could be damaging to our national defences.
‘This is an example of pandering to political correctness; the diverse make-up of the Army is important but it’s definitely not the most important.’
Former commander in Afghanistan Richard Kemp (right) said if the claims were true, it was an example of the RAF ‘pandering to political correctness’. Tory MP Richard Drax (right) said while he ‘was nervous of any discrimination’ he suspected the RAF were ‘manipulating the quota figure’.
Conservative MP and member of the Commons defence committee Richard Drax – also a former Army officer – said that while he supported more women and ethnic minorities joining the Armed Forces, he was ‘nervous of any discrimination’.
He said: ‘Although I have been assured there has been no lowering of standards, I suspect that the RAF is manipulating the quota figure.
‘There is a surplus of people trying to join the force therefore they are without doubt discriminating.’
A spokesperson for the RAF disputed the allegations that it had paused recruitment for white men.
The spokesperson said: ‘There is no pause in Royal Air Force recruitment and no new policy with regards to meeting in-year recruitment requirements.
‘As with the Royal Navy and British Army, we are doing everything we can to encourage recruiting from under-represented groups and ensure we have a diverse workforce.
‘The Royal Air Force has a well-earned reputation for operational excellence that is founded on the quality of all our people. We will always seek to recruit the best talent available to us.’
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