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An explosive report into alleged racism at Scotland Yard has been delayed for a second time.
The race and faith inquiry was ordered by Mayor Boris Johnson last October after extraordinary claims by senior ethnic minority officers. Inquiry members were due to report back in the summer but the study was delayed until a Metropolitan Police Authority meeting next week.
Now, the Standard can reveal, the findings are set to be postponed again - amid claims of internal wrangling at City Hall.
Insiders say the report will conclude that black officers do face discrimination in Met promotion procedures.
The £100,000 inquiry examined why black and ethnic minority officers are more likely to leave and are less successful in gaining promotion than white counterparts.
There are conflicting reports over the latest delay. Some suggest senior City Hall figures have demanded further work on the study amid concern over its findings. One source with knowledge of the issue said: "The problem is that the report will identify how black officers are at a clear disadvantage when it comes to promotion in the Met. The commissioner is set to make a vigorous defence against any charges of institutional racism.
"Recently, Boris's team claimed to control the Met, so the solution is up to them. They ordered the inquiry, but now they don't like the conclusions."
However, Kit Malthouse, the deputy mayor for policing, today strongly denied any internal row, saying the inquiry panel wanted more time because its findings had issues for the police at a national level.
He said that an interim report, Emerging Issues, would be submitted to the MPA next week, but the full report could be delayed until Christmas.
The report was triggered after Shabir Hussain, temporary Deputy Assistant Commissioner, said the Met had a "golden circle" of senior white officers and Tarique Ghaffur, former Assistant Commissioner, settled a race claim against then commissioner Sir Ian Blair with a £310,000 deal.
