Then there were two... Boris holds interviews for Met chief

THE two candidates left in the running for the post of Met Commissioner are Sir Hugh Orde, head of policing in Northern Ireland, and Sir Paul Stephenson, the Acting Commissioner.

The pair will each be interviewed jointly on Monday by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

It is the first time that candidates for the Met's top job will be interviewed by both the Mayor and the Home Secretary together and reflects a desire for them to reach agreement on the final choice.However, one insider warned: "There is still plenty of scope for them to disagree."

The two were selected by a 10- member, all-party panel of the Metropolitan Police Authority on Monday after interviews with four candidates. They are believed to have been endorsed by senior Home Office officials, who also interviewed all four candidates.

The decision is a blow for West Midlands chief constable, Sir Paul Scott-Lee, and Merseyside chief Bernard Hogan-Howe. One of the interview panel said: "All four were of such high calibre that they all could have done the job, but in the end the two names were unanimous."

A decision on the appointment is the responsibility of the Home Secretary, who will recommend a name to the Queen. However, Ms Smith has to take account of the views of the Mayor.

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

The successful candidate for the £253,000-a-year post is expected to be announced within days of Monday's interviews.