Dame Cressida Dick is to remain head of the Met Police until 2024.

The Home Office said a two-year extension to her term as Metropolitan Police Commissioner had been granted by the Queen following a recommendation from the Home Secretary.

Her fixed-term appointment was due to expire in April 2022 – and she has faced strong criticism with calls to resign.

Priti Patel said: ‘I am pleased to announce that Dame Cressida will continue to lead the Metropolitan Police until April 2024 and wish to thank her for her service to date.

‘Her extension will provide continuity and stability as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic and recruit 20,000 additional police officers.’

Dame Cressida said she was ‘immensely honoured and humbled’ to continue in the role and added: ‘I look forward to continuing to work with my dedicated, courageous colleagues and the public to create an even more visible, stronger and professional Met.

Signatories included Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Lady Diana Brittan, former Tory MP Harvey Proctor and broadcaster Paul Gambaccini – who have all expressed disappointment or criticism of the police over cases affecting them.

Mr Proctor warned that Dame Cressida should be replaced to ensure any future ‘errors’ by the Met are avoided.

The ex-Tory MP was one of three men who had their houses raided by officers from the Met’s failed Operation Midland, which was launched in reaction to false allegations by jailed fantasist Carl Beech about a murderous VIP paedophile ring.

Mr Gambaccini, who was falsely accused of historical sex offences, said: ‘Londoners deserve a first class police service, they do not currently have one.’

Baroness Lawrence, mother of teenager Stephen Lawrence, who died in a racist attack in 1993, has previously voiced her disappointment after an investigation into her son’s death was shelved last year.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: ‘I am pleased to announce that Dame Cressida will continue to lead the Metropolitan Police until April 2024 and wish to thank her for her service to date’, adding that the extension to her contract will provide ‘continuity and stability as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic and recruit 20,000 additional police officers’.

Dame Cressida added: ‘I am immensely honoured and humbled to have been asked to extend my time as Commissioner for a further two years. I am proud to continue to serve my city.’

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