Nearly 40 per cent of all Britons think under-fire Metropolitan Police chief Cressida Dick should resign just days into her new term over her handling of the Sarah Everard case, a survey has revealed.
Cressida Dick, 60, has faced a wave of calls for her to step down amid anger at the multiple missed chances to identify officer Wayne Couzens as a sexual predator.
And a YouGov poll has revealed that 38 per cent of Britons are supporting the calls for her resignation, compared to a mere 27 per cent who think she should remain in her post.
Some 35 per cent of Britons are unsure about whether the commissioner should step down, as Dame Cressida has been left fighting for her job just days into her new term.
It comes after Dame Cressida said 'sorry' as she ordered a shake-up of police rules which will see plain clothed officers banned from working alone after Couzens flashed his police ID to carry out a fake Covid arrest and cuff Sarah Everard, before strangling her with his police belt.
A YouGov poll has revealed that 38 per cent of Britons are supporting the calls for Cressida Dick's (pictured) resignation as the Metropolitan Police chief
The YouGov survey found that two in five men and 32 per cent of women think Dame Cressida should resign just days into her new term
The commissioner has faced widespread calls to step down, including from the senior Labour MP Harriet Harman, and the survey found that two in five men and 32 per cent of women think Dame Cressida should resign.
In London, where Sarah Everard, 33, was raped and murdered by Couzens on March 3 while she was walking home from a friend's house, a staggering 40 per cent of people think she should step down.
In the rest of the South, 39 per cent of people think she should resign, while 38 per cent of people in the North and 35 per cent of people in Scotland agree.
Just 10 per cent of people aged 18 to 24 were among those who thought Dame Cressida should stay in her role, with 31 per cent thought she should resign and 59 per cent were unsure.
The age group with the highest amount of people calling for the commissioner to resign was those 65+, with a massive 46 per cent supporting the calls for her to step down.
The poll comes after Dame Cressida apologised and said Couzens had 'brought shame on the Met', adding that she was 'absolutely horrified' at the atrocity.
The commissioner said she recognised 'the precious bond of trust has been damaged' - as the force announced it will not deploy plain clothes police officers on their own in an effort to reassure the public.
Dame Cressida said: 'As Commissioner I will do everything in my power to ensure we learn any lessons. I know that what happened to Sarah, and what has happened to other women in London and beyond in recent times, has raised important questions about women's safety.
Dame Cressida, 60, has faced a wave of calls for her to step down amid anger at the multiple missed chances to identify officer Wayne Couzens (pictured) as a sexual predator
'Here in the Met I commit to keep working with others to improve women's safety and reduce the fear of violence. There are no words that can express the fury and overwhelming sadness that we all feel about what happened to Sarah. I am so sorry.'
Meanwhile, Priti Patel today said the Met Police had 'serious questions' to answer over the case - but stood by Cressida Dick following calls for her to resign amid fury at how the officer was able to 'slip the net'.
The Home Secretary said Britain's biggest force should be 'held to account' but batted away a question about whether she should now step down.
She said: 'I think first of all there are important questions and questions that I've been asking and challenges, we have to be honest about this, in particular to this case, but also the conduct of that serving officer and conduct of policing more broadly.
'So, I will continue to work with the Metropolitan Police and the Commissioner to hold them to account as everybody would expect me to do, and I will continue to do that.'
The Met is being investigated by the police watchdog for its alleged failure to investigate two flashings which have since been linked to Couzens at a McDonald's in Swanley, Kent. The force received reports of these three days before he kidnapped, raped and murdered Miss Everard.
There are also questions how the sexual deviant, 48, passed vetting to become an armed parliamentary and diplomatic protection officer despite numerous rumours of his bad character, including claims he was addicted to violent pornography and had mistreated women.
Couzens was handed a full life term at the Old Bailey - as activists with 'Met Police: Blood on their hands' banners protested outside. Lord Justice Fulford said he was a 'warped' and 'self-pitying' killer who used his position and knowledge of Covid-19 lockdown laws to carry out one of the most shocking crimes in recent history.
Harriet Harman demanded scandal-ravaged Dame Cressida step down over the Met's failure to stop Couzens, tweeting: 'Sarah Everard was simply walking home. Women must be able to trust the police not fear them. Women's confidence in police will have been shattered. Urgent action needed. Met Commissioner must resign.'
Diane Abbott said: 'Harriet Harman is right. Women should be able to trust the police. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick must resign.'
