An MP has written to Priti Patel claiming Sir Stephen House is “not fit” to become Scotland Yard’s interim Commissioner following Dame Cressida Dick’s departure.
The Home Secretary announced Dame Cressida’s deputy will temporarily take charge when she steps down in April until a replacement Met boss is appointed.
But former police officer Wendy Chamberlain, the Liberal Democrat MP for North East Fife, said Sir Stephen’s past record made him “completely unsuitable” to restore faith with London’s communities.
He faced criticism when chief constable of Police Scotland over its policy on firearms and officers’ use of stop and search.
Sir Stephen also came under intense pressure when the force took three days to respond to a fatal car crash on the M9.
Ms Chamberlain told the Standard said: “After so many scandals, the Met desperately needs strong new leadership to rebuild public trust.
“Putting it in the hands of someone who left his own trail of scandals in Police Scotland is not the way to do that.”
A spokesman for Sir Stephen declined to comment on Ms Chamberlain’s letter.
But a spokesman for Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “The Deputy Commissioner automatically becomes Acting Commissioner on the departure of the Commissioner, as happened in 2017, and the Mayor will work with whoever is in post to keep Londoners safe.
“The Mayor is looking forward to the appointment of a new Commissioner.
“Sadiq has been really clear it needs to be someone who gets the scale of the challenge and is committed to regaining public trust and confidence.”
Dame Cressida - Britain’s top police officer - was forced to resign over scandals including the murder of Sarah Everard by PC Wayne Couzens and racist WhatsApp exchanges between officers at Charing Cross.
Sir Stephen was ousted when Lamara Bell, 25, and John Yuill, 28, died after officers didn’t respond to a passer-by’s 101 call giving details of their crashed car near Stirling in 2015.
Police Scotland was fined £100,000 for health and safety failures over the fatal M9 motorway crash. They also paid £1 million compensation to Ms Bell’s family.
Last month, her father Andrew Bell, 56, said of Sir Stephen: “He should not get the job. If he gets it, he’ll fail.”
Ms Patel said: “Dame Cressida Dick was at the helm of the Met during extremely tough times, with terror attacks and the pandemic among the challenges she faced.
“Her dedication to protecting London and Londoners has helped drive down serious violence in the city and for that in particular she deserves our gratitude.
“Sir Steve House, her current deputy, will provide the stability and continuity the force needs as we focus on appointing the right person to lead the country’s largest force and make London an even safer place to live, work and visit.”
