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British Telecom CEO firing Whites, hiring minorities for diversity bonuses

  The CEO of telecommunications firm British Telecom (BT) is reportedly axing more than 1,000 employees in East Anglia – a rural area with a...

 The CEO of telecommunications firm British Telecom (BT) is reportedly axing more than 1,000 employees in East Anglia – a rural area with an overwhelmingly White population – to replace them with non-White employees.

The Mail on Sunday (MoS) first broke the news, citing leaked audio of BT Chief Networks Officer Howard Watson during a meeting with staff members. While he described the headcount reduction as a "shocking number," he stressed that BT would be able to recruit new workers in "many more places" – a move which would "improve diversity inclusion over time."

According to the MoS, the plan to reduce staff members in East Anglia was the brainchild of BT CEO Allison Kirkby. Under the plan dubbed the "Better Workplace Program," up to 1,100 jobs will be cut in BT's Martlesham office as part of a major overhaul. Affected staff members will be given the chance to move to "strategic hub" cities where the company has facilities such as London, Birmingham and Manchester.

In response to a question about whether boosting diversity and inclusion was the key reason for the relocation, Watson replied in the affirmative. "That was a significant factor in the choice of the locations," he said. Martlesham has a 95.8 percent White population as per the latest figures, while Birmingham only has a 48.7 percent White population.

BT announced plans two years ago to more than double the share of its workforce from non-White backgrounds to 25 percent by 2030, becoming the biggest British employer to impose such a goal. The proportion of minority staff members in the telecommunications firm as of March was 13.4 percent. But BT executives want this proportion to increase, with a target of 16 percent by 2025.

The scheme to fire White employees appears to be driven by money, as Kirkby could receive £220,000 ($268,136) for hitting diversity recruitment quotas. The targets have a maximum payout of £2.2 million ($2.68 million), on top of the £1.1 million ($1.34 million) salary she already receives.

Tory MP accuses BT of "pandering to political correctness"

A Conservative (Tory) Minister of Parliament (MP) accused the telecommunications firm of "pandering to political correctness." John Hayes, the MP for South Holland and The Deepings, warned BT that it could be illegally discriminating against White staff members.

"BT shouldn't be pandering to political correctness," he stressed. "It needs to be clear if it is jeopardizing workers' interests around an ideological agenda. That would be reprehensible and possibly illegal too."

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the company stressed that the Martlesham facility "remains an essential site." They added: "Our need to relocate roles reflects UK-wide efforts to focus investment into fewer, but more modern, buildings."

This anti-white discrimination is not limited to private firms, as the British public sector is also engaged in the practice. In May, the National Pulse zoomed in on an internship offered by Transport for London (TFL). The office, which is chaired by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, is in charge of the public transport system and roads of the British capital.

The Stuart Ross Communications Internship (SRCI) offered by TFL explicitly prohibits Whites from applying. Its rules state that potential applicants "must be of Black, Asian and minority ethnic background, defined as having some African, Afro-Caribbean, Asian or other non-White heritage."  

"The SRCI has been excluding 'non-Whites' for a number of years already, with many graduates of the scheme going on to work in a number of industries – including local government and the Metropolitan Police," the National Pulse said.

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