Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, will come face to face today with a senior officer who has accused him of holding back black and Asian detectives in favour of a “golden circle” of white officers.

Commander Shabir Hussain has accused the embattled police leader of passing him over for promotion because “my face did not fit and did not fit because I am not white”.

Sir Ian is expected to face tough questioning in a crowded, stuffy room at the employment tribunal in Stratford, East London, for most of the day after he reads a prepared statement.

The tribunal comes as Sir Ian deals with claims from Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur that he has been the victim of racism in the force, which Sir Ian also denies. Mr Ghaffur, Britain's top Asian officer, is considering taking action against Sir Ian.

Mr Hussain, 45, has told the tribunal that he was rejected an “unprecedented” four times for promotion to deputy assistant commissioner while Sir Ian's “favourite sons and daughters” succeeded after a maximum of two attempts.

He claims that he was ignored for promotion even when he was more experienced and better qualified than other candidates. Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, the former Met Commissioner, reacted angrily to suggestions at the tribunal yesterday that he was involved in grooming a “golden circle” of white officers.

Lord Stevens said that he thought that Mr Hussain could have got at least one more promotion.

Asked whether he was surprised that Mr Hussain had remained at the same rank for seven years, he said: “I would have expected him to go further.”

Based on his intellect, intelligence and ability, Mr Hussain could have assumed he would be promoted from commander, he said.

Lord Stevens became animated when Mr Hussain's lawyer, Martyn Barklem, said to him: “You did indeed have a golden circle of people whose careers you fostered and whom you groomed for promotion.”

Lord Stevens said: “That is absolute nonsense. Why would I do that to Shabir Hussain, bearing in mind I had been, not his champion, but his supporter in terms of his ability? There was no golden circle - people were promoted on their ability. My view of Shabir Hussain was exceptionally high and to be accused of that is nonsensical.”

Lord Stevens was commissioner during the Macpherson report, which delivered a damning assessment of the “institutional racism” within the Met after the allegedly racist stabbing to death of Stephen Lawrence in Eltham, southeast London.

The tribunal heard that Mr Hussain had jumped from being a superintendent to a commander, missing out the post of chief superintendent, with the support of Lord Stevens.

“I supported him because I considered that he had the appropriate ability and skills and was ready for the rank,” he said, adding that he had “sound intellect and judgment”.

He denied that Mr Hussain had been given a post in charge of training at Hendon that was a “career cul-de-sac”. Lord Stevens said that he had “great admiration” for Commander Hussain. “I would never see him being posted there as being a cul-de-sac. It was not a case from my point of view.”

Mr Hussain is suing the Metropolitan Police, the Metropolitan Police Authority and its chairman, Len Duvall, for race discrimination and unlawful deduction of wages.

The hearing continues.

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