Priti Patel: Metropolitan Police needs strong and decisive new leadership

The Home Secretary has said that "strong and decisive new leadership" is needed to restore the public's trust in the country's largest police force following Dame Cressida Dick's shock resignation.

Priti Patel has said she will choose the right leader as Metropolitan Police Commissioner, as she thanked Dick for her service.

She said: "Following a series of appalling and sickening incidents and too many historical cases involving serving Met Police officers, it is clear that strong and decisive and new leadership will be required to restore public confidence in the largest police force in the country.

"The public in London and across the entire country must once again have the confidence to trust the integrity and professionalism of the police officers who serve them.

"Policing culture, conduct, attitudes and behaviours have rightly all come under scrutiny and be in no doubt that a new leader must tackle these institutional issues that have brought great shame on elements of policing.

"I will appoint a Commissioner who will deliver for the public whom our police serve and represent."

Patel said she would appoint a Commissioner who is focused on what she described as the "basics" of reducing the city's problems with violence, abuse of women and girls, drugs, weapons and counter-terrorism threats.

Paying tribute to Dick, the Home Secretary said that as the first woman to hold the post she has "exemplified the increasingly diverse nature of our police, demonstrating that all can aspire to hold leadership roles in policing in this country today".

There is no clear frontrunner to replace the outgoing commissioner, but some of the likely candidates include Neil Basu, Matt Jukes, Lucy D’Orsi, Nick Ephgrave and Sir Stephen House.