Mayor seeks role in Met boss choice

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And the Mayor said that he wants to work alongside Ms Smith in the shortlisting and final interviews of any candidates for the job.

Previous commissioners have been chosen by the Home Secretary alone, after considering recommendations from the Metropolitan Police Authority.

Mr Johnson's proposal would give him a much increased role in the choice of a successor to Sir Ian Blair, who resigned this week complaining of a lack of support from the Mayor.

In a sign of his determination to play a role in the process, Mr Johnson informed Ms Smith that he was "happy" for his officials to enter discussions with her office about the process to be followed.

He called for a "fairly lengthy consolidation period" for the Met under the acting leadership of Deputy Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson.

Earlier, Mr Johnson had dismissed suggestions of a Tory plot to oust Britain's most senior police officer as "absolutely outlandish".

The Mayor said he withdrew his support from Sir Ian to improve policing in the capital and insisted no constitutional precedent was set by apparently undermining the prerogative of the Home Secretary to appoint the head of Scotland Yard.

But Ms Smith accused the Mayor of acting without authority or respect by pushing Sir Ian out for political reasons.

All eyes will now turn to City Hall on Monday when Mr Johnson will chair his first meeting of the MPA.