A report in the Mirror alleges that Ford has practiced racial discrimination in the running of its two Dagenham plants.

According to the Mirror report, top jobs in one part of the plant, the South Estate, went mostly to white workers whilst in the other half of the factory, the North Estate, where most of the "dirty" assembly line jobs were done, had a disproportionate number of people from ethnic minorities.

The report claims the vacancies at the South Estate with the better jobs would be pinned on notice boards at the South Estate – where workers on the other side of the main A13 road on the North Estate didn't see them. Ford denies the racial discrimination charge.