Female members of the Armed Forces feel "unsafe" after Grant Shapps discussed reviewing diversity policies in the wake of a "woke" and "extremist culture".
A diversity row has infiltrated the British Army after it was revealed that it was looking at ways to relax checks to promote ethnic diversity among officers.
Shapps has reportedly spoken with Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the Chief of the Defence Staff to discuss how a review of ethnicity, diversity and inclusivity policies can be carried out.
His comments have sparked backlash among female personnel and military charities, who brand his response as "dangerous".
Female members of the Armed Forces feel 'unsafe' after Grant Shapps discussed reviewing diversity policies in the wake of a 'woke' and 'extremist culture'Getty"The review aims to ensure that, at a time when threats are rising, vital defence resources and personnel are not being unnecessarily used to enact controversial inclusivity policies, when they could be better utilised for critical defence tasks," a defence source told The Telegraph.
Another source added that a number of ethnic minority, non-heterosexual and female personnel had spoken up following the remarks, stating that "this campaign makes them feel unsafe in the military and they now feel the lack of leadership pushback makes them look to leave".
One Sergeant serving with the RAF said: "I think it’s really dangerous that he thinks it okay to make such flippant remarks without quantifying them.
"The military had only just started to make progress in moving away from being an old boys club and it feels that as soon as that has happened people from that generation are now afraid to embrace the changes.
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"I fear if his comments are left unchallenged, the retaliation from people within the ranks to prove and regain the masculine bravado that is associated with being a soldier will be devastating to the progress we have made in making the military safer and actually a place where women belong."
It comes as the military suffers a recruitment crisis following reports it did not meet its targets, which included increasing the number of women and ethnic minority members.
Paula Edwards, the chief executive of Salute Her UK, a charity for female military personnel who have experienced sexual assault and rape, said: "The military will become an even more toxic and insidious place for women to serve."
A report in 2021, which was overseen by MP Sarah Atherton, revealed that almost 60 per cent of serving female military personnel have been subject to bullying, harassment or discrimination.
The MoD wants to relax security checks for recruits in a bid to boost diversity and inclusion in the armed forcesPAA source close to Shapps said: "The Secretary of State is determined to improve working conditions for everyone in the Armed Forces.
"He believes everybody should be respected, encouraged in their careers and he abhors bullying. He values everyone who is willing to put themselves forward to serve this country and wants to recruit more women to the services, as he has said before.
"The review is very much about the woke culture and extremist political correctness which actually devalues the efforts to improve service people’s lives."