Smith moves to heal Boris rift over new Met chief

JACQUI Smith has vowed to try to reach an agreement with the Mayor on the next Met Commissioner and end their rift over the appointment.

The Home Secretary told the Evening Standard: "It is too important for London and too important for the country for us not to have someone we both agree on from the beginning."

One plan being discussed by officials is for the final interview in the selection process, which began this week, to be conducted jointly by Ms Smith and Boris Johnson. Even if this does not happen, aides say the Home Secretary is almost certain to meet the Mayor when she is ready to make the appointment and to make every effort to ensure that they reach a consensus.

Ms Smith and the Mayor clashed last year over the departure of former Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair, who was ousted against her wishes. The Home Secretary said it was "no secret" that she had not approved of the Mayor's role in removing Sir Ian, but that she was determined to ensure that his successor had unchallenged support.

Met Deputy Comissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, who is running the force, is likely to be one of two men selected for final interview.

Sources say that the other place in the run-off is expected to be filled by Sir Hugh Orde, the Northern Ireland police chief, or Birmingham's chief constable, Sir Paul Scott-Lee. The fourth candidate, Merseyside chief constable Bernard Hogan-Howe, is viewed as the outsider in the contest.