Sir Paul hints he is ready for Met’s biggest challenge

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Deputy Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson received his knighthood from the Queen at Buckingham Palace then refused to say whether he would like to be confirmed as Met Commissioner.

He said: "I am hugely excited to be doing what I'm doing here in London." But he added: "Who would not, at this rank, at this level, want to practise their profession here, at a senior level, and dealing with the challenges London faces?"

Sir Paul will take over as acting Commissioner on 1 December. Sir Ian announced his resignation last week after Mayor Boris Johnson told him he wanted new leadership at the Met.

Today Sir Paul, 55, accepted it was a "very challenging time" for the force, but added: "We are getting on with doing what we do, which is delivering safety and security for seven to eight million Londoners and the millions of tourists who come here."

Sir Paul joined Lancashire Constabulary in 1975 and rose through the ranks to become the force's chief constable in 2002, before joining the Met in 2005. He said he was "excited and humbled in equal parts" to receive the knighthood.

The other favourites for the Commissioner's job are the head of the Northern Ireland police service, Sir Hugh Orde, and Merseyside police chief Bernard Hogan-Howe.

Sir Paul's comments are the first by any of the possible contenders to indicate their intentions for the job.

Meanwhile, a woman police chief today emerged as an outside contender for the post. Julie Spence, the chief constable of Cambridgeshire, was said to be thinking of applying for the position. It would be the first time a woman has applied for the top job in British policing.