Home Office: Affirmative action is 'illegal'

The Home Office has rejected calls for the Race Relations Act to be amended to enable police forces to actively target black and ethnic minorities for recruitment.

This follows a speech from black police sergeant Keith Jarrett, who argued non-white communities were pleading for officers who "look like them".

Mr Jarrett is a race relations campaigner and president of the National Black Police Association.

He suggested there were grounds for amending the Race Relations Act - which prohibits all forms of discrimination, positive or otherwise, on the grounds of race – to permit police to advertise specifically to recruit minorities.

He said this would improve the relationship between the force and communities.

But a Home Office spokesman today rejected Mr Jarrett's main tenant, saying the government did "not support affirmative action, as it is illegal."

The Home Office said it was committed to working with local constabularies to improve the appeal of the police force to minorities, and supported positive action to increase representation, but only within the parameters on the existing law.

Home Office minister Tony McNulty added: "I'm not convinced the blunt tool of affirmative action is the way to go. I want people to advance on merit through a fair system."

The Race Relations Act was implemented in 1976 to guard against discrimination on the grounds of race, nationality or ethnic origin.

It was amended recently in 2000 to include a statutory duty on public bodies to promote racial equality, but categorically bans advertising or recruiting on the grounds of race.