Soldiers from former British colonies are to form a trade union to fight racism within the Army, amid allegations of rising discrimination being ignored by military top-brass.

The British Commonwealth Soldiers' Union will be prohibited by Armed Forces rules from going on strike or negotiating over pay but will give advice to its members about their dilemmas or concerns, its founder said today.

Moves to form the new body come after allegations of racist abuse directed against soldiers from the 53 Commonwealth countries, the number of whom have spiralled from 435 in 2000 to around 6,000 today as the Ministry of Defence struggled with home-grown recruitment. Most of the Commonwealth recruits come from Fiji.

Speaking this morning, Belize-born Marlon Clancy, who joined the Army in 1999, said that, on one occasion, he had been attacked in his barracks by other soldiers dressed as members of the Ku Klux Klan.

"They were saying they were going to take the 'nigger' to burn. That black people never used to have rights, they shouldn't have rights now," he was quoted as saying by the BBC.

Mr Clancy, still a serving soldier, said nothing ever came of his complaints.

"Because I made the complaint I was further victimised," he added.

"As a serving soldier myself, personally, I have gone through the chain of command time and time again within the seven-and-a-half years I have been in the Army and time and time again the chain of command have failed me."

A Jamaican-born soldier, who was identified only by his first name Wayne, said he faced regular racist abuse from non-commissioned, and even senior, officers.

“You’re niggers. You come over here and take all the married quarters and taking up the space in the country...You need to go back to your country,” the soldier said.

His wife described him as a broken man and complained she had suffered similar abuse as she lived in quarters provided for them.

However, in a robust statement to Times Online, the MoD claimed there was "absolutely no evidence" of systematic racism within the British Army, and said its own procedures were in place to combat the problem when it arose.

"There is absolutely no evidence to support allegations of endemic racism in the Army – last year there were 26 complaints," a spokesman said.

"We investigate all substantive allegations of racism and would encourage anyone who has experience inappropriate behaviour to come forward.

"The Army goes to great lengths to ensure that all soldiers, irrespective of their race or ethnic origin have given the opportunity to fulfil their full potential.

"We are very conscious of the additional challenges faced by Commonwealth soldiers and their families.

"This is why we have put in place special provisions including leave arrangements that allow Commonwealth soldiers to return to their home countries."

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