Johnson 'wrests control' of Met

Commissioner Paul Stephenson insists he retains control

Boris Johnson's administration has wrested control of the Metropolitan Police from the Home Office, one of the Mayor of London's top aides has said.

Deputy mayor for policing Kit Malthouse told the Guardian they had their "hands on the tiller" of the Met.

He said: "We slightly elbowed the Home Office out of the picture - you cannot have two captains on the ship."

But Commissioner Paul Stephenson said he was in control and no political party had the leadership of the Met.

After he was elected, Mr Johnson became the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority, which scrutinizes the Met.

And following pressure from the mayor, Commissioner Sir Ian Blair resigned and was replaced by Sir Paul Stephenson.

We do have an electoral mandate - that is how politics works Kit Malthouse

Mr Malthouse said: "We cannot tell the commissioner what to do, we trust in his judgment.

"But at the same time we can say what we think the priorities are and the police authority can set the priorities.

"This is a subtle, typically British, constitutional arrangement where these things are done on a handshake.

"There's nothing written down, but we do have an electoral mandate - that is how politics works."

Mr Malthouse added that rather than being seen as a separate entity from the government, the police should be under as much political control as the NHS or education.

But Sir Paul said: "I do not want anyone to be under the misapprehension that Scotland Yard or the Metropolitan Police Service is under the operational control of any political party.

'No political interest'

"While the Home Office and the police authority have a right to set priorities, I set operational strategy.

"All operational decisions are taken without fear or favour for any political interest."

A Home Office spokesman said: "The claim that the Metropolitan Police no longer answers to the Home Office is incorrect.

"Policing priorities for all forces, including the Met, are set by the Home Office."

A spokeswoman for Boris Johnson confirmed his aide had been quoted accurately, but sought to clarify the remarks.

She said: "It has been over-egged.

"With the new leadership there has been a change of direction - the last administration was complacent about policing.

"But we work in partnership with the commissioner and he has operational control."

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