The force's acting commissioner, Tim Godwin - standing in for Sir Paul Stephenson while he recovers from an operation - met committee chairman Keith Vaz on Wednesday to apologise for the false evidence.

BBC: Met undercover denial chief to answer to MPs

Sir Paul Stephenson stood down amid the phone-hacking scandal and applications to be his successor close on Wednesday.

BBC: Top Scottish officer emerges as Met chief front-runner

Writing on his blog, Peter Fahy said he had no wish to replace the outgoing commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, who quit over the phone-hacking scandal.

BBC: Peter Fahy rules himself out of Met commissioner contest