Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, has ordered an inquiry into alleged discrimination inside the Metropolitan Police after black officers warned ethnic minority recruits not to join the force.

The Metropolitan Black Police Association told Times Online yesterday that it would be boycotting all drives to attract black and ethnic minority recruits to Britain's largest police service, citing a 'hostile and racist environment'.

In a statement, the black officers group said: “The Metropolitan Police under the current management and supervision of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) have made the working environment for its existing black staff a hostile atmosphere where racism is allowed to spread, and those who challenge it are either suspended, told to shut up or subtly held back in relation to career development.”

The Met BPA said the “active discouragement” would continue during Black History Month and beyond, adding: “We will not put up or shut up to racism and inequality.”

The boycott threat is the most serious challenge to the Met's record on race since the devastating conclusions of Sir William Macpherson's report into the Stephen Lawrence murder investigation ten years ago.

In response, Mr Johnson has indicated that he will announce an inquiry to explore race and faith issues within the force when he takes charge of the MPA today. He has appointed Cindy Butts, a deputy chairwoman of the MPA, to head the investigation.

“Policing a multi-cultural capital requires the police to have the full confidence of the communities they serve as well as its own staff," said Mr Johnson.

“It is important that all staff are confident and open about race and faith issues, as this will impact positively on service delivery.”

Ms Butts said: “I accept there are problems in the Met to do with race and faith issues and that is why we are setting up the inquiry."

But speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she added that the structures and procedures in the Met were now “by and large right”. She said: “I think the Met has moved on leaps and bounds since the Lawrence inquiry, which was 10 years ago, where it was accused of being institutionally racist. It was.”

The boycott threat has sparked a furious debate. The Society of Black Lawyers has backed the boycott, and called for the Equality and Human Rights Commission to investigate allegations of racism.

A Panorama documentary due to be screened on BBC1 tonight is likely to add fuel to the fire, when Mike Fuller, the UK’s first black chief constable, tells an interviewer that he personally felt the need to be overqualified in order to be promoted.

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