Bernard Hogan-Howe named as new Met commissioner

Theresa May has named Bernard Hogan-Howe as the new Metropolitan Police Commissioner. Hogan-Howe was the early front-runner and a finalist for the role last time round. He is apparently highly respected within the police force and has been a successful chief constable in Merseyside.

His appointment has come earlier than was expected: the talk at the end of July was of completing the process later in the autumn. This suggests that the government is keen to repair the damage to its relationship with the Met and the reputation of the police caused by the phone hacking scandal and the riots. This will be essential if the coalition is to deliver its ambitious police reforms. Having shied away from appointing a complete outsider like Bill Bratton, the government plainly feels it has got the right man in Hogan-Howe; Boris Johnson is certainly enthsed, calling Hogan-Howe a “clear winner”.