A London council has vowed to press ahead with giving people from ethnic minorities extra consideration for a vacant job role, despite claims from opposition councillors it’s unfair to others. Westminster City Council said its recruitment policies were in line with industry standards and consistent with UK employment law, after an advert was posted for an executive assistant, stating that if there were two candidates of equal merit, they would consider someone from an underrepresented background to be the preferred choice.
But council opposition leader, Paul Swaddle, said the tone of the job advert implied certain candidates would be favoured over others and vowed to end the practice if Westminster Conservatives win back control of the council in 2026. He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “That is wrong. All candidates should be judged on merit alone.
“If we win back control of the council in 2026 I will ensure we welcome applications from all parts of society and appoint solely on merit.” He also claimed the wording of the advert was not appropriate or ‘standard’.
However the Equality Act does allow for employers to give additional help to people who share a protected characteristic such as race, sex or sexual orientation ‘in order to level the playing field’, according to Government guidance to employers, issued in 2023. It added: “You can take proportionate action that aims to reduce disadvantage, meet different needs and increase participation.”
The advert, shared by Cllr Swaddle on X, said Westminster City wanted to boost the number of staff from underrepresented groups and encouraged applicants from the ‘global majority’ to apply. The term can refer to those from a Black, Asian or Brown community.
It read: “While the role is open to all applicants, we will utilise the positive action provision of the Equality Act 2010 to appoint candidates from a global majority background where there is a choice between two candidates of equal merit.”
Cllr Cem Kemahli, from neighbouring Tory-run Kensington and Chelsea Council, claimed the advert was ‘simply racism’. He posted: “As a Brit/Turk am I Asian? Dual-heritage? Or Global South? I can’t keep up with which label the left would want to use to define me.”
(Image: Supplied)
A Westminster City spokesperson said the council was committed to ensuring candidates from ethnic minorities can compete for roles. They said: “Westminster City Council’s recruitment policies are industry standard, entirely consistent with UK employment law and have been in place for a number of years.
“In keeping with many public sector and private companies, we are committed to ensuring global majority candidates can compete for a range of roles and actively promote ourselves as an employer committed to equity and inclusion. This role will be offered in open and fair competition as is every other role advertised by the council.”
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