Bringing in foreign police chiefs 'stupid'

One of Britain's most senior policemen yesterday branded David Cameron's plans to bring in foreign police chiefs to turn around UK forces in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal "simply stupid".

The comments, by Sir Hugh Orde, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), put him further at odds with No 10 ahead of the appointment of a new Metropolitan Police Commissioner, a position for which Sir Hugh has been tipped as a front-runner. However, his continued criticisms of the Government's police reforms may count against him.