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Sir Paul Stephenson takes temporary charge of Met

01/12/2008

Sir Paul Stephenson has taken over temporary charge of the Metropolitan police.

His appointment follows Sir Ian Blair's decision to resign claiming a lack of support from mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Sir Paul, 55, is now seen as one of the main contenders to succeed as permanent Met commissioner.

He has already facing controversy in his first days in office after the arrest of Conservative MP Damian Green last week.

On his last day in office, Sir Ian warned any potential successor to let Mr Johnson know of the relationship he can expect with them, suggesting that part of the police force had become "a bit like politics".

"I think what we need is both of the major parties to give the police a bit more breathing room and recognise how extraordinary the achievements are," he said in his final interview as commissioner.

Along with Sir Paul, Sir Hugh Orde from Northern Ireland police, Merseyside chief Bernard Hogan-Howe, Sir Paul Scott-Lee, from West Midlands police and Cambridgeshire Chief Constable Julie Spence are thought to be in the running to take over as Met commissioner.