**Sir Ian Blair Resigns as Commissioner of the Met Police**
17:10 – I now have words of Boris, following are highlights only:
” Sir Ian made a lasting and distinguished contribution. safer neighbourhoods are a success of his. In the face of terrorist threat he kept Londoners safe. However There comes a time when it becomes clear that the organisation would benefit from new leadership and clarity. Ibelieve that time has now come and at a meeting yesterday, he agreed to offer a chance to someone else. I will always be grateful to him for his efforts in driving down crime. He leaves with our gratitude and best wishes.”
17:03 – Boris Johnson praised Sir Ian, but said London would be better with new leadership (BBC)
16:57 – BBC having problems so we can’t hear Boris’ statement – is this a conspiracy?
16:50 – Dominic Grieve’s statement: (from ConservativeHome)
“This is the right decision. We have been calling for Sir Ian to step down for almost a year – since the serial and systematic failings at the Metropolitan Police disclosed during the De Menezes trial – whilst Cabinet Ministers from the PM onwards continued to express total confidence in him.
“It is now clear that they have shown a serious lack of judgment about the leadership of the most important police force in Britain. It is vital that a successor is appointed who can restore public confidence.”
16:40 – full text of statement from Sir Ian Blair:
I was appointed as the 24th Metropolitan Police Commissioner in February 2005. Since that time, it has been the proudest task of my life to lead the men and women of the Metropolitan Police. I believe that the record of the Met under my command in relation to the expansion of neighbourhood policing, reduced crime, increased detection, improved public confidence and our response to terrorism has been a worthy one.
It is the duty of the Commissioner to lead the Met through good times and bad: to accept the burdens and pressures of office and, above all, to be a steward of the Service he commands. However, I have today offered my resignation as Commissioner to the Home Secretary, which she has reluctantly but graciously accepted.
I am resigning not because of any failures by my Service and not because the pressures of the office and the many stories that surround it are too much. I am resigning in the best interests of the people of London and the Metropolitan Police Service. I would have wished to continue to serve Londoners until my term of office expired in February 2010. However, at a meeting yesterday, the new Mayor made clear, in a very pleasant but determined way, that he wished there to be a change of leadership at the Met. I understand that to serve effectively the Commissioner must have the confidence of both the Mayor and the Home Secretary. Without the Mayor’s backing, I do not consider that I can continue in the job. Personally I see no bar to working effectively with the new Mayor, but it is there that we differ and hence I am unable to continue.
The Home Secretary has asked that I should stay for enough time for the process of appointing my successor to be got underway. I will therefore leave office on 1 December 2008, giving the Home Secretary and the MPA time to make plans for the appointment of my successor.
I offer Boris Johnson and his team at City Hall and at the Police Authority the very best of fortune. I say to the people of London that I believe that, in the Metropolitan Police Service, they have a quite wonderful institution made up of extraordinary men and women, who daily risk their lives on your behalf. I say to those men and women and those staff who support them that they are part of one of the greatest police services in the world. This great institution, which I have served for 28 out of my 34 years as a police officer, will always have a central place of affection in my heart.
Thank you very much.
16:31 – Boris statement expected shortly…
has been delayed (perhaps the statement is being revised)
16:26 – Ken Livingstone on BBC R5 says ever since Blair was appointed crime in London has gone down year on year. “To get rid of a commisioner becuase he was failing is one thing, but to get rid of him because of political differences is rediculous”. “I never discussed politics with Sir Ian” (I SIMPLY CANNOT BELIEVE THAT!)
16:21 – Jaquii Smith due to make statement any moment now…
Home Secretary statement: (highlights, not verbatim) “His leadership of the met has overseen large reductions in crime. His efforts has meant Londoners feel safers and his works on anti terrorism has been excellent. Sir Ian can be proud with his efforts.”
she says he has made London a safer place – really??
16:15 – Ian Blair (highlights, not verbatim) “the Mayor made it quite clear yesterday that he no longer wished to give his suport to me as head of the Met Police. I will saty on until a replacement is found at the request of the Home Secretary. This great institution will remain lose to my heart for ever. Perosnally, I see no bar in working with the new mayor, but he sees it differenltly and that is where our difference lies which means I must now leave my position.”
Boris is clearly key in this resignation – another great job by Mr Johnson. This is a great scalp from the Blair years and means that the Tories can now start to control the police again.
Over the last few Years, it is clear that despite big mistakes, he was protected by Ken Livingstone and the Home Secretary, that protection is now gone which put him in an untenable position.
15:55 – Guido is reorting the same, but from Sky News
15:46 – statement expected very shortly. It is understood that after Boris Johnson’s takover at head of MPA yesterday, Mr Blair no longer had the support of the head of the MPA. Effectively, Boris told Blair to go. This will be a popular move on the streets of London. This is is the first step in getting rid of corruption in the police. Ian Blair was only put in the top position as a New labour placemaker which has damaged the reputation of the Met Police.
15:41 – Boris Johnson to make statement at 16:30
Speculation has been rising throughout the afternoon about Ian Blair’s future and now the Evening Standard has confirmed his resignation. We are still awaiting a statement on the matter, however one is expected at any point this afternoon.
I understand his resignation is after being found out about helping a close friend to win contracts.
more to follow…
