Why are ethnic minorities locked out of Britain's top jobs?

The government is planning to set a target to encourage more ethnic minorities in the workplace. Credit: Tonight/ITV

When you look around your workplace, how many of your senior colleagues are from an ethnic minority? Your bosses, managers, etc?

And when you're watching your favourite Premier League club, how often do you see a black or Asian coach standing on the sidelines?

The reality: not often... and in some cases not at all.

The UK employment gap between white and ethnic minority communities can be vast. FTSE 100 companies, football managers, the civil service, politics and a host of other institutions aren't doing great when it comes to fairly representing the wonderful mix that we see on Britain's streets.

Let's take football as a first example. Around 30% of players in the top teams come from an ethnic minority, yet only 3.4% are in coaching positions.

Out of 92 teams in England's Football League just two have an ethnic minority manager.

Huddersfield's Chris Powell (pictured) and Notts County's Keith Curle are the only ethnic minority managers in the Football League. Credit: Richard Sellers/EMPICS Sport

When you look at stats like that, it has to make you think that something just is not working. But why?

It's not that much better in politics either. Just 4.2% of MPs are from an ethnic minority - yet 12.9% of the UK population is non-white.

In fact, the Lib Dems don't have a single non-white MP.

How is that representative, or acceptable? When we put it to Vince Cable, one of the Lib Dems' most senior Cabinet members, he called it "a historical legacy of having quite a lot of rural and suburban seats", but admitted: "Nonetheless it isn't good enough and we've got to do better and set an example."

Sajid Javid is the only non-white member of the Cabinet. Credit: Jeff Moore/Empics

Surely the Civil Service ought to be flying the flag, and showing others how it should be done? Alas, no.

A Freedom of Information Request from the Tonight programme has revealed its failings. Out of 46 departments, just 5 reflect the ethnic diversity of our population.

It's not as if ethnic minorities are new to the UK, they have been in the country and working since the 16th Century, and in great numbers since after the Second World War - especially from the Caribbean. They came to help rebuild Britain after the war. They worked on the buses, trains and factories. Over 50 years later they ought to be the the top of these industries - but are not.

Charlene White investigates 'The Diversity Deficit' on ITV's Tonight. Credit: Tonight/ITV

So, again, why?

In our Tonight programme, "The Diversity Deficit", we ponder the reasons, delve into the world of unconscious bias, and look at the solutions.

A fair mix in the workplace means a more effective work force, increased productivity and profit.

According to Vince Cable, "there's a lot of evidence that companies that are diverse at the top better represent their customers, their workforce. It's got nothing to do with political correctness".

So if it makes good business sense why are we not mixing it up more at the top?

Tonight: The Diversity Deficit will air on ITV at 7.30pm