Met head shortlist stands at two

Sir Hugh Orde and Sir Paul Stephenson are the final two vying for the job

The shortlist to become the next commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has been cut to two men.

The competition is now between Acting Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and Sir Hugh Orde, Chief Constable for Northern Ireland.

The two other contenders, chief constables Sir Paul Scott-Lee, of the West Midlands, and Bernard Hogan-Howe, from Merseyside, have been eliminated.

Final interviews are expected to be carried out next week.

It is believed that Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and London Mayor Boris Johnson will both participate in the final stage of the interview process.

Sir Hugh began his career with the Met in 1977 and was deputy assistant commissioner when he left in 2002 to take on the job as head of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Sir Paul started out with Lancashire Constabulary in 1975 and, after becoming a superintendent, spent time with the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

In 1994 he was appointed assistant chief constable of Merseyside before moving to Lancashire, where he became chief constable in 2002.

In 2005, he moved to the Met, succeeding Sir Ian Blair as deputy commissioner.

He became acting head of the country's largest police service when Sir Ian stepped down.

Sir Ian's acrimonious departure from the Met in October of last year set in motion the difficult task of appointing a new top police officer.

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