A fiery debate has erupted on GB News between host Martin Daubney and former Metropolitan Police officer Nusrit Mehtab over West Yorkshire Police's controversial recruitment policy.
The force has sparked swathes of controversy following decision to temporarily halt applications from white British candidates - in an effort to boost diversity.
Defending their recruitment process, West Yorkshire Police, claimed the approach is necessary to ensure "diverse communities" are properly represented.
Debating the policy on GB News, Mehtab questioned Martin on "where the evidence was" to say white officers "have been prejudiced and discriminated against".
Martin Daubney and Nusrit Mehtab clashed over West Yorkshire Police's recruitment policy
GB News / X
Martin hit back at Mehtab, stating: "That's literally the policy! To screen out white people, it's here in black and white - pun intended."
Defending the policy further, Mehtab explained: "If a certain group isn't represented, whether it's females, whether it's minorities, policing will do everything to make that representation.
"Now, representation is important, because we need different experiences, different perspectives, and diversity of thought."
Martin disagreed, arguing: "But we don't get diversity of thought if we make it down to only diversity of immutable characteristics such as skin colour, ethnicity, and sexuality."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
This policy has sparked concerns that white British candidates are being unfairly treatedGettyHowever, Mehtab highlighted one part of the process she does not agree with - a whistleblower claimed black and far east Asian candidates were given a "gold" ranking, followed by those of south-east Asian origin in the "silver" tier. "White others", including Irish and eastern European backgrounds, were classified as "bronze".
She stated: "I don't agree with that. If that's the case, then that needs to be investigated, because there's something wrong in how they're doing that process.
"And if it that is an individual who decided that they're going to create this new system."
A WYP spokesman however denied the claim and argued that the support offered to candidates - regardless of gold, silver or bronze structure - was offered to all candidates, regardless of their ethnicity.
Hitting back at Mehtab, Martin claimed that such rankings happen in police forces "all across the land".
Mehtab told GB News that the 'bronze, silver and gold' rankings 'should be investigated'
GB News
He told GB News: "It happens with police forces all across the land, I hear it all the time.
"West Yorkshire Police spend the most money on diversity, equality and inclusion in the entire country. They are the top of the woke league table, and their crime solving rate is one of the worst."
West Yorkshire Police defended its approach, stating it ensures officers represent the communities they serve.
A spokesman said: "The most recent census found that 23 per cent of people in West Yorkshire identified as being from an ethnic minority background. Our current police officer representation is around nine per cent."
The spokesman added that their approach was recently reviewed by inspectors and "no issues were identified".
