This week, The Telegraph disclosed that West Yorkshire Police has delayed white British candidates from applying for jobs as recruits to its police constable entry programmes. As part of the temporary policy, “under-represented groups” can lodge their applications early.

The force admitted on its website that, because of a lack of ethnic minority officers, it accepts “applications all year round from these under-represented groups” but that white British candidates must wait until “our recruitment process is open”.

A whistleblower has claimed that black and far-east Asian candidates were considered particularly under-represented and given a gold ranking, followed by those of south-east Asian origin who were in the silver tier. “White others”, including candidates from Irish and eastern European backgrounds, were bronze.

West Yorkshire Police stresses that nine per cent of its officers are from an ethnic minority background “while 23 per cent of people in West Yorkshire are from these communities”.

Posting on X, Liz Truss, the former prime minister, wrote: “Britain has a serious problem with police leadership being ideologically captured and pursuing anti-white discrimination. Ministers should have to answer for this and take back the powers to do so.

“Also, Conservatives should have repealed the Equality Act, something I advocated at the time. A lot required to end two-tier Britain.”

Tories call policy ‘disgraceful’ 

While positive discrimination is illegal England and Wales, “positive action” is permitted. All hiring must be done on merit.

The Telegraph has found that at least five forces have reacted to this by giving candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds “bespoke” coaching before they go to job interviews.

Asked whether Mr Robins’ support for positive discrimination suggested the force may have knowingly breached the law with its policy, the police spokesman said it did not.

He said: “This does not change our position. While the opportunity to apply remains open to certain groups, no applications are progressed to interview stage until the main recruitment window opens. All applications are assessed against the criteria at the same time, in a fair and transparent manner.”

Mr Robins has been an officer in West Yorkshire Police for the past 34 years after being recruited as a constable in 1990. He has worked in a number of different roles, including a long period spent as a trained hostage negotiator dealing with suicide interventions, kidnaps and criminal sieges.

In 2014, he became the temporary Dept Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, leading on professional standards, ethics and equality.

Five years later, he was awarded the top job in the force, as well as being awarded the Queens Police Medal for distinguished service.

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, has this week resisted demands from the Tories to end the use of the positive action policy, saying West Yorkshire Police was complying with “fair recruitment standards”.

However, Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, called the policy “disgraceful”, saying: “People should be treated equally and given equal opportunities. To reject or delay applications just because of someone’s skin colour is morally wrong.”

Former Tory home secretaries echoed the criticism, with Suella Braverman urging Ms Cooper to get rid of “dangerous” and “racist” inequalities from police forces.