Met chief 'considered quitting'

Sir Paul has said the Met is a "happier" force than a few years ago

The commissioner of the Metropolitan Police wrote a resignation letter, days after police searched the offices of Tory MP Damian Green, it has emerged.

The force was heavily criticised for the raid in Westminster, which took place in November 2008 as it investigated a series of leaks.

Sir Paul Stephenson became acting head of the Met four days after the raid.

Scotland Yard confirmed he "considered all options" for his future at the time, but quickly decided not to quit.

Mr Green was arrested but was not charged with any offence.

The police action was later ruled to have been "not proportionate".

It became very apparent that Sir Paul was beginning to position himself against an investigation he had sanctioned, and an arrest and searches he had supported Bob Quick Former Met assistant commissioner

At the time, MPs were furious officers had been allowed into the Commons to conduct a search without a warrant.

The existence of Sir Paul's resignation letter emerged in evidence to a Parliamentary committee, submitted by Bob Quick, a former assistant commissioner at the Met and a head of counter-terrorism.

Reporting a conversation between himself and Sir Paul on 1 December 2008, Mr Quick recalled Sir Paul "looked very anxious".

"It became very apparent that Sir Paul was beginning to position himself against an investigation he had sanctioned, and an arrest and searches he had supported," he told the committee.

"I reiterated my position that we had acted lawfully after taking careful legal advice and consulting all parties, and that it was our duty to undertake this investigation, regardless of whether it was unpopular with the media and some MPs."

Mr Quick said he stressed police "were well within our rights and duties to investigate Mr Green" and, after that, "nothing more was said about resignation".

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Given the circumstances of the time, Sir Paul Stephenson was quite right to consider all options for what was best for the future leadership of the Metropolitan Police, and of course discussed them privately with his most senior colleagues,"

"However, he quickly decided not to withdraw his application to become commissioner."