Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe denies early retirement is due to friction with Sadiq Khan

Great relationship: The Commissioner said he would be happy to continue working with the Mayor
Lucy Young
Chloe Chaplain29 September 2016

Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe has denied he is stepping down from the role because of a strained relationship with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

Britain's most senior police officer today announced his retirement months before his contract expires, leading to speculation over the fractious relationship between him and Mr Khan.

But today the commissioner denied that the mayor, who took over from Boris Johnson in May, was the reason for him leaving the job.

In an interview on LBC Radio, he said his decision was “not at all” based on his relationship with the mayor.

He said: “I have a close relationship both with the mayor and with the deputy mayor, and I would be quite happy for that to continue.

Great relationship: The Commissioner refuted claims his retirement was due to the election of the new Mayor 
Nigel Howard

“Just like I had a great relationship with Boris and his deputy - both different people with different political persuasions.

“The thing that joins whoever I work with has been that you have a common thing, which is genuinely to keep the place we live in and protect safe. That is a common bond."

In the past Mr Khan has suggested he has doubts over Sir Bernard's decision-making and hinted that he would want to pick his own commissioner.

During the mayoral election campaign, Mr Khan said: "It’s for the Mayor of London to have a big say in who the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police is."

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe

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And in the most recent disagreement between the pair, Mr Khan said he was disappointed not to have been consulted on plans - which were later scrapped - for the Met to start using "spit hoods" to restrain suspects.

He also distanced himself from the Met's show of strength after stabbings in Hyde Park when heavily armed counter-terror officers were sent out into the streets.

Former Mayor: The Commissioner reportedly had a 'close and cordial' relationship with Boris Johnson 
Jeremy Selwyn

When pushed by LBC interviewer Nick Ferrari on his relationship with the mayor, the commissioner said: "Nobody wants to play politics with the police. It is a really bad idea to do that.

“You want to keep that trusting relationship and that is usually how it works."

But he added that his successor would need to be prepared for a lot of changes under Mr Khan's mayoral term.

"You have to acknowledge that the mayor is going to be here for another four years and there are some big changes coming - partly because we have less money," he said.

"So whoever leads this organisation next needs to be really thinking about the next five years."

Mr Khan today issued a statement thanking Sir Bernard for his service and pledging to "work closely" with Home Secretary Amber Rudd to find a replacement.

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