Shapps orders MoD diversity policy review as Army ‘to ease security checks’

Grant Shapps is ordering a review of diversity and inclusion policy at the Ministry of Defence following reports that the Army wants to relax security checks for overseas recruits to boost ethnic minority representation.

The Defence Secretary said there will be no “lowering of security clearance requirements on my watch” after the Sunday Telegraph reported it had seen a British Army document vowing to “challenge” security checks to increase diversity.

The newspaper said the armed forces are looking overseas to attract ethnic minority talent because they have long failed to hit recruitment targets.