The Metropolitan Police has been accused of attempting to "silence" criticism on diversity by reportedly cutting funding for its black officers' association.

Plans would see the Metropolitan Black Police Association (MetBPA) lose all three full-time staff in order to cut costs, The Guardian said.

Association chairwoman Sergeant Janet Hills called on incoming Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick to intervene, the day after she was appointed to head the force.

Ms Hills said: "They are trying to silence a critic - we are a voice of difference which does not always follow the party line.

"The new commissioner should revisit these plans."

MetBPA founder member Leroy Logan added: "They are taking their only critical friend and gagging them."

The association represents officers suffering discrimination at work and has strived to boost diversity within Scotland Yard since its inception more than 22 years ago.

The Met is trying to find savings of £400 million by 2020, having already cut £600 million since 2010.

Scotland Yard currently funds a full-time chairman and two support workers for the MetBPA, which is one of the force's 19 staff associations.

But this will be reduced to a single volunteer chairman who will have a number of hours set aside for association work, according to The Guardian.

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