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A black ex-Met Police officer whose colleagues painted his face white so he would "fit in" has urged Cressida Dick's successor to fix the force's "canteen culture".

Gamal Turawa, who was the Met Police's first openly gay black officer, told Sky News that racist remarks were dismissed as "banter" when he worked for the force, and he was "complicit" in some of the exploitation he suffered.

The former police constable also said he was left suicidal after his complaint of inappropriate behaviour by a senior officer was allegedly not taken seriously.

Following Dame Cressida's resignation, Mr Turawa - who retired as an officer in 2018 after more than 25 years of service - believes "institutional discrimination" remains in the force.

Mr Turawa told Sky News: "I believe one of the biggest mistakes [Cressida Dick] made was to say the force is no longer institutionally racist.

"The culture at the Met is not changed at the highest, it's changed in the canteens.

"That's where the tradition sits. It doesn't position in Scotland Yard."

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