POLICE and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl said he hopes new Home Secretary Amber Rudd will be as “supportive as her predecessor”.

Mr Surl, who is also chairman of the Police and Crime Commissioners’ national association, said meeting Ms Rudd would be a new experience for a lot of PCCs.

“Many commentators tipped Amber Rudd to become Home Secretary so her appointment comes as little surprise. But apart from her previous job as Secretary for Energy and Climate Change, I know little about her so I look forward to meeting her and hearing what ideas she has,” he said.

The MP for Hastings and Rye takes the post of Home Secretary vacated by Theresa May when she succeeded David Cameron as Prime Minister.

Mr Surl, who joked he had been stood-up by Mrs May when their scheduled meeting on Wednesday was cancelled in preference of her meeting with the Queen, said: “I have met Mrs May on several occasions. She introduced PCCs and she has always been supportive of the role and determined to see it succeed.

“Some of the other political parties have now withdrawn their opposition to PCCs so I hope we can look forward to a period of stability and that the new Home Secretary will be as supportive as her predecessor.”