BORIS Johnson is launching an inquiry into how the Metropolitan Police deals with race and religious issues, following his controversial sacking of Sir Ian Blair.

The investigation will examine whether officers from minority ethnic and religious backgrounds receive a fair chance of being promoted, among other issues.

Sir Ian quit as Commissioner of the Met last week after the London Mayor told him new leadership was needed, effectively forcing him to resign.

It followed the suspension of the two most senior ethnic minority officers in the force, assistant commissioner Tarique Ghaffur and Commander Ali Dizaei have both been suspended.

Members of the Metropolitan Black Police Association have today begun a recruitment boycott of the force.

They are urging ethnic minority applicants not to join it, on the grounds that the force has "a hostile atmosphere where racism is allowed to spread".

Sir Ian was also facing heavy criticism over the shooting of Brazilian man Jean Charles de Menezes in 2005 and, perhaps ironically, over claims he was imposing "political correctness" on the force.

The inquiry, ordered by Mr Johnson in his role as Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority, will be chaired by former Treasury civil servant Cindy Butts, an independent member of the Metropolitan Police Authority.

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

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

Mr Johnson said he wanted assurances the Met's commitment to equality had been put into practice.

"Having become Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority I have decided the Authority needs to be assured that the changes put in place by the Metropolitan Police Service over the past years have indeed taken hold.

"If not the Metropolitan Police Authority should make recommendations for positive change."

Ms Butts said: "There has been a lot of press coverage over the last few weeks of how the Metropolitan Police Authority deals with race issues.

"This is of great concern for many reasons, not just the impact on other Black and Minority Ethnic police officers and staff within the Metropolitan Police Service but the broader consequences for maintaining the confidence of all of London's communities in the policing it receives and recruiting new officers and staff to reflect London's diversity."

She added: "I will want our focussed inquiry to address concerns about several key issues, including the progression of Black and Minority Ethnic candidates through the ranks of the police service, the relationship between staff associations and management, communication and proportionality, and the extent to which there is visible leadership around race issues."

The inquiry is due to report its findings next spring.

Assistant Commissioner Ghaffur was suspended after he began to sue the force for racism, while Commander Dizaei was suspended over alleged misconduct.

The decision to sack Sir Ian was criticised by Lord Stephens, a former head of the Met, who warned that the post of commissioner "must never be politicised".

But Liberal Democrats said they agreed with the Tory Mayor that a new Commissioner was needed.

Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington and the Lib Dem spokesman for London and Home Affairs, said: "In spite of the real achievements achieved under Sir Ian, such as the introduction of neighbourhood policing, it was time for a change at the top of the Met.

"The allegations swirling around the upper echelons of London's police force were diverting attention from the Met's priorities of tackling terrorism and serious crime."

Related links: Metropolitan Police Authority, Cindy Butts biography, Tom Brake.

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