Sir Hugh Orde throws hat into the ring to be Met Commissioner, he has burnt his bridges already by calling Cameron idea on policing 'simply stupid'

Dear All

Sir Hugh Orde, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers has thrown his hat into the ring to be the next Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

I don’t think he has any chance of success and I am surprised that he thinks he has.

Talk about a spectacular misjudgement, but he has the right.

So, who are the others who want to be Top Cop?

Well, there are

Strathclyde Chief Constable Stephen House, he has a fair chance and can use the narrative of the work done against gangs in Strathclyde to reduce crime plus the 32 year crime low in Scotland.

Metropolitan Police's current acting deputy commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe, I don’t rate his chances much, too close to the old regime which was ineffectual.

The Met's Acting Commissioner Tim Godwin, he doesn’t have the oomph factor, he might be in charge of the ship at present but isn’t a leader of men.

And the Met needs someone with all the tools.

The deadline for application is now closed and it’s a short list.

Home Secretary Theresa May said on Tuesday that the process of appointing a replacement for Sir Paul was too important to delay.

Another knee jerk reaction from the Tories because, it is important to choose the right person, they want someone as a shield.

May said:

"I think it's absolutely important at the moment that we don't delay the appointment of a new Metropolitan Police Commissioner. It's an Olympics year and the Met is facing challenges following the departure of Sir Paul Stephenson and (former Assistant Commissioner) John Yates. It's also clear to me that as long as the Met retains its national policing duties, including counter-terrorism, the Commissioner will have a unique policing role in relation to national security, and that is why the post has always been held by a British citizen."

Orde chances recently died when he said PM David Cameron's idea to bring in foreign police chiefs was 'simply stupid'.

Already, he is guilty of wasting a stamp and envelope.

Jog on Orde, they seem to be lining up Strathclyde Chief Constable Stephen House as the new broom, the outsider and the man for all seasons.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University