Campbell calls for an end to 'anti-Protestant' police recruitment

The MP called for this recruitment mechanism, which he says was part of the UUP-negotiated Patten Report to be abolished immediately.

His motion has attracted the support of a number of MPs including Labour's Kate Hoey and the Conservative Peter Bottomley.

Speaking this week the DUP MP said: "The DUP have been pressing relentlessly for the ending of the disgraceful 50-50 recruitment procedure.

"We have sought to repair the damage done by others when they were in a position of leadership. Whilst I am pleased that 2010 will be the final full calendar year of this disgraceful practice and people will welcome that, discrimination for any time period, cannot go unchallenged. Fairness and equality delayed is fairness and equality denied.

"I am pleased that there is growing support for this move. Across a range of political and religious opinion people can see that discrimination on the grounds of religion is immoral and unjustifiable.

"Indeed, people can appreciate the irony of those who defend discrimination against Protestants applying to join the police being among those who protested about discrimination against Roman Catholics for many years.

"I believe the majority of people in Northern Ireland recognise the iniquitous nature of this policy and will welcome its demise. My motion seeks to accelerate that happening.

"I hope other members of the House of Commons will acknowledge the indefensible nature of the system currently in place and support it's immediate removal."