Employment Minister Esther McVey has released a statement encouraging applicants from across the UK not to hide their regional accents when looking for employment.

Jobseekers should not feel the need drop their regional accent just to persuade companies to take them on, according to Employment Minister Esther McVey:

“For too long people have had to neutralise or lose their accent out of fear of prejudicial treatment or to fit in. This has then led to a lack of regional accents which has allowed this lazy stereotyping and prejudicial attitudes to prevail.”

McVey has warned that companies are cutting themselves off from real talent by failing to look beyond regional accents when it comes to interviews.

McVey added:

“People shouldn’t have to lose their accents to get a fair crack at the whip.

The more people don’t lose their accents, the more commonplace it will be to hear accents across a range of careers in, for example, universities, the legal profession or in broadcasting.”

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Words: Peter Cribley