Before resigning as home secretary, John Reid commissioned Sir Ronnie Flanagan to review policing in England and Wales. He is to recommend reforms that will cut bureaucracy, improve efficiency, encourage neighbourhood policing and increase local accountability.

Sir Ronnie has not asked me to contribute to his review. Nevertheless, I feel compelled to tell him about my scheme for reforming the police. It would achieve all of his goals and another Mr Reid forgot to put on his list - it would help to reduce crime. Police forces should become independent commercial enterprises that must compete for local policing contracts. What they earn should be directly related to how effectively they reduce crime. Here is how it could work.