Applicants seeking to join RAF described as 'useless white male pilots'

Leaked emails show the pressure apparently being applied to filter out white male recruits and fast-track women and ethnic minorities



White men seeking to join the Royal Air Force were described as "useless white male pilots" in leaked emails that expose the pressure placed on recruitment officers to improve diversity.

A number of selection boards to place new recruits on courses - a crucial part of maintaining the fighting strength of the RAF - were also cancelled if they did not include women or ethnic minorities, according to the messages, which have been seen by Sky News.

It can also be revealed the air force is paying £5,000 each to 31 white men - a total of £155,000 - who it found had been unfairly disadvantaged by a recruitment policy that - under the leadership of Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston [pictured], the head of the RAF - sought to boost female and ethnic minority ratios in the air force, according to a defence source.

A further review indicated hundreds more had been disadvantaged, the source said.

The RAF confirmed that 31 individuals had received payments but did not confirm the amount.

The revelations appear to contrast with repeated assurances by Air Chief Marshal Wigston that well-intentioned efforts to improve diversity did not discriminate against white men, two informed defence sources said.

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), who is due to retire from his post this week, has also repeatedly insisted that his service's operational capabilities were never impacted.

The RAF insisted that there was no contradiction.

A spokesperson said: "Selection standards were not and have not been altered and there was no compromise of entry standards and no impact on the frontline or operational effectiveness."

But a defence source with knowledge of the emails described them as a "smoking gun".

One exchange on 19 January 2021 by a squadron leader in the recruitment force to a sergeant, with another officer also included, exposed the pressure that was apparently being applied to filter out white male recruits and fast-track women and ethnic minorities.

Sky News has chosen not to identify the names of the middle management involved in sending the correspondence.

Under a subject line entitled: "BOARDING PROFILE", the squadron leader wrote: "I would be grateful if you could provide me with a breakdown of the candidates awaiting boarding, by Br [branch - the type of profession, such as pilot, engineer or chef] and BAME [black, Asian and minority ethnic]/Female."

He continued: "I noted that the boards have recently been predominantly white male heavy, if we don't have enough BAME and female to board then we need to make the decision to pause boarding and seek more BAME and female from the RF [recruitment force].

"I don't really need to see loads of useless white male pilots, lets [sic] get a [sic] focussed as possible, I am more than happy to reduce boarding if needed to have a balanced BAME/female/Male board."