Westminster Council Implements Privilege Quiz for Staff

Westminster City Council has implemented a 'privilege test' for its staff, aimed at addressing unconscious bias and increasing recruitment of candidates from non-white backgrounds. The test includes questions about social advantages, such as whether parents read to them as children, if they drive a new car, and if they have been stopped by police, with points awarded based on their responses. Managers are required to include at least one candidate from the 'global majority' on job shortlists and must justify their decisions to the council's chief executive if they fail to do so. Critics have labeled the initiative as excessively 'woke,' with some questioning its effectiveness and appropriateness in hiring practices. Despite the backlash, the council maintains its policies are standard and consistent with UK employment law, emphasizing its commitment to inclusivity. The council's chief executive, Stuart Love, has publicly embraced 'wokeness' as a necessary approach in local governance.