MPs have called on Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner Kevin Hurley to stand down following widespread criticism of his attempts to have former Surrey Chief Constable Lynne Owens dismissed last year for presiding over a “litany of failures” revealed in highly critical inspection reports.

In documents released under the Freedom of Information Act, Mr Hurley expressed concerns about Ms Owens’ record on public protection and child safeguarding after the force was blasted by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) and the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), prompting him to declare he had lost confidence in the chief constable.

Mrs Owens, who was subsequently promoted to director general of the National Crime Agency, issued a strong rebuttal at the time and the Home Office sprang to her defence, describing her as “now of the exceptional policing leaders of her generation”.

And the tables turned last week when, responding to Mr Hurley’s defence of his actions in a series of radio interviews last week, Conservative Mole Valley MP Sir Paul Beresford said the Surrey Police commissioner should “resign and not stand as PCC for the next election”.

Fellow Tory MP for Reigate, Crispin Blunt said he respected Mr Hurley’s experience as a retired Metropolitan Police superintendent but added: “The Conservative party was quite right to refuse Mr Hurley the Conservative nomination for PCC back in 2012. However, he was successfully elected as an independent. I am afraid he is not properly independent of the police he oversees and of their corporate interest.”