Flying instructor who was rejected by the RAF sues MoD for race discrimination over claims recruitment policy gave priority to female and ethnic minority recruits over white men

A flying instructor is suing the Ministry of Defence for race discrimination over an RAF policy that gave priority to female and ethnic minority recruits. Matthew Coverley claims he was rejected by the RAF because it was trying to meet quotas on female and minority ethic employees A preliminary hearing in Watford heard Mr Coverley served in the British Army from 1996 until 2018, achieving the rank of Warrant Officer, and became a flying instructor graduate of the Central Flying School. Allegations that the RAF broke employment law when it attempted to favour female and ethnic minority candidates led to calls for Chief of the Air Staff Sir Mike Wigston, pictured, to step down last year However, in November 2020, he was removed and had his application rejected on the grounds that he lacked the necessary training — but he claims this was untrue. The tribunal heard that in August 2022, the RAF’s head of recruitment, Group Captain Lizzy Nicholl, resigned ‘in protest at a recruitment policy to give priority to female and ethnic minority recruits over white men’.