Met chief orders gay pride flag to be taken off station

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Sir Paul, who was appointed last week to the top job in the Metropolitan Police, was said to have been outraged when told that the gay emblem had been raised outside the station in Limehouse.

It replaced the Union flag and was put up by officers in recognition of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Month celebrated in February.

But Met rules state that only the Union flag and the force's own flag can fly from police buildings.

One officer said: "The police are playing politics again. I can understand the need to show acceptance to people of all sexualities - but the Union [flag] should never be taken down." A senior source added: "Sir Paul was livid when he found out. He is anxious the Met does not stray into political territory and focuses on policing."

Sir Paul has already spoken about how he has no intention of being a "celebrity" Commissioner and how his aim is to fight crime and not kowtow to a politically correct agenda.

He insisted he would focus on efficient management of the force and said: "It is not my aim to be boring and neither is it my aim to be a celebrity. It is my aim to be a top-class police leader of the biggest police force in the UK and one of the best in the world."

A spokeswoman for the Met said the rainbow flag had been raised "with good intentions" in support of LGBT history month. She added that all staff had been reminded of the policy which stated that only the Union flag and Met's own flag should be put up outside official buildings.