A review of the round-the-clock operation to guard Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder who is holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy, was announced by Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe yesterday.

The Metropolitan police commissioner acknowledged that it was a drain on resources and said he was exploring “how we can do that differently in the future”.

Sir Bernard was speaking to LBC radio after it emerged last week that Mr Assange’s self-imposed confinement has cost police £10 million. Up to three uniformed officers constantly patrol the embassy in Knightsbridge to ensure that the 43-year-old does not escape.

Asked if he was reviewing the mission, he replied: “That’s right, how we can do that differently in the future, because it’s sucking our resources in.”

Senior officers are understood