A FORMER Merseyside assistant chief constable yesterday refused to rule himself out of taking permanent leadership of the Metropolitan Police.

Sir Paul Stephenson received his knighthood from the Queen at Buckingham Palace then declined to say whether he would like to be confirmed as Commissioner.

Sir Paul, Deputy Commissioner at Scotland Yard, is expected to be named as acting head of the force in December when the present Commissioner Sir Ian Blair steps down.

Sir Ian announced his resignation last week after London mayor Boris Johnson told him he wanted new leadership at the head of the service.

Sir Paul, who is from Bacup, Lancashire, joined that county’s police force in 1975 and, after a series of operational postings in the east of the county and selection for accelerated promotion, he was appointed Superintendent in February 1988.

This was followed by operational commands in Lancashire and in Northern Ireland with the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

He was appointed assistant chief constable of Merseyside police in 1994, then, in May 1999, deputy chief constable of Lancashire Constabulary, moving up to chief constable in July 2002.

In March 2005, he was appointed deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.