Morning:
8°c
Final interviews for the two men hoping to be Met boss
Justin Davenport26 Jan 2009
The two men vying to be the head of Scotland Yard and Britain's most senior police officer face their final interviews today.
Northern Ireland police chief Sir Hugh Orde and acting commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson will be interviewed by the Home Secretary and the Mayor.
The interviews will be conducted jointly by Jacqui Smith and Boris Johnson and the pair are expected to reach a decision almost immediately.
The name of the successful candidate must then be presented to the Queen who must give her final approval. The decision is expected to be announced publicly within days.
Although the Home Secretary has the responsibility of making a final decision she needs to have the support of Mr Johnson.
It is the first time that a Home Secretary and Mayor will jointly conduct the final interviews. In the past, these have been conducted by the Home Secretary alone.
The contest was forced in October last year when Sir Ian Blair abruptly quit as Met chief, saying that he no longer had the Mayor's support.
Ms Smith has said that it was “no secret” that she had not approved of Mr Johnson's role in removing Sir Ian, but that she was determined to
ensure his successor had unchallenged support.
She told the Evening Standard: “It is too important for London and too important for the country for us not to have someone who we both agree on from the beginning.”
Both candidates are evenly matched, with distinguished careers spanning 30 years in the force. Senior City Hall politicians are said to favour Sir Paul though some say that the Mayor is more open to change.
Both the Mayor and the Home Office are keen to secure a candidate for the £253,00-a-year role who can deliver on the fight against crime and terrorism and is also comfortable and accomplished in the media spotlight. Sir Paul, 55, took over the role of acting commissioner after Sir Ian quit but he has effectively run the force in the past few years.
Sir Hugh, 50, joined the Metropolitan Police in the late Seventies and worked his way through the ranks before moving to Northern Ireland.
He is credited with modernising the force and was knighted in 2005.
Reader views (7)
In these times where Londoners get so little in return for all the taxes they pay to the country, should we not be able todecide what police we get?! I do not like the Nu Labor guys interfering. I like Boris Johnson he was elected.
- Jackie, Hampstead, London, 26/01/2009 21:19
Report abuse
It will be time to get a proper police leader. Crime rises and the absence of police on the streets probably are connected. London deserves better security.
- Georgie, Islington, London, 26/01/2009 18:24
Report abuse
phil Islngton, you are right. Jackboot Jaqui has already shown that her choice would be a Labour flunky. The final say should be left with Boris and the MPA. After all more than a million Londoners voted for Boris, who voted for Smith?. About 8000 carrot crunchers from Redditch, somewhere 'oop north' in Worcestershire.
- Pat, South of England, 26/01/2009 17:24
Report abuse
I hope Boris gets to push through the toughest guy for the job, not some poor Nu Labor freak again.
- Peteo, Primrose Hill, London, 26/01/2009 15:50
Report abuse
Why is that Jacqui Smith to do with it?! Disaster waiting to happen.
- Johnny, London NW1, 26/01/2009 15:38
Report abuse
The problem is that the Home "Minister" Jackie Smith is involved and so their files might get lost and the weakest candidate might get selected... again! Surely this should be only for the London mayor and the London citizens - citizens who are very concerned about the lack soft-on-crime Nu Labor fake crime strategy!
- Phil, Islington, London, 26/01/2009 14:18
Report abuse
I hope they're doing it because the love the job, rather than the glass-fronted £1m riverside flat.
- Roz, Chamonix, France, 26/01/2009 13:14
Report abuse
