Met chief Blair 'set to resign'

[muriel_volestrangler]

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair is on the point of resigning, the BBC understands.

A "significant" statement is expected later on the future of Sir Ian, the UK's most senior officer since 2005.

It follows fresh newspaper reports on the use of public money to pay a close friend to advise him. Sir Ian has previously denied any wrongdoing.

He has also faced criticism over the racism row involving the Met's most senior Asian officer Tarique Ghaffur.

There have been questions too about his handling of events surrounding the 2005 death of Jean Charles de Menezes, who was shot dead at Stockwell Underground station in south London after being mistaken for a suicide bomber.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7648664.stm

So many reasons, yet only one resignation is possible ...

More from The Times

[emad]

1. Sir Hugh Orde 2/1 fav to replace Blair as Met Commissioner.

Ian Blair one of the weakest UK top cops in a generation, especially his handling of Cash for Honours.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

2. ...and he's gone

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair has announced his resignation after three years in the job.

He said London mayor Boris Johnson, who took over as chairman of the police authority on Wednesday, had told him he wanted a "change in leadership".

Sir Ian said that "without the mayor's backing I do not think I can continue in the job".

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said deputy commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson will take over as acting head of the Met.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7648664.stm

[LeftishBrit]

3. He should have resigned a long time ago

Incompetent, and not as honest as one would want in the bloke who is in charge of The Law.

I suppose Boris made the right decision for once, though I suspect his motives.

[LeftishBrit]

4. For those with strong stomachs...

here's the right-wing spin from Melanie Phillips in the Hate-Mail. It makes me almost sympathize with Ian Blair. ALMOST, I said.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1067136/MELANIE-PHILLIPS-Shed-tears-Labour-stooge-forgot-police.html

Speaking of police and the Right, is anyone else here old enough to remember James Anderton, 'God's Copper', in Manchester? He was certainly a good example of why we need explicit church/state separation; and of how we are only relatively, not totally, immune to the Christian-Right poison that has so infected America.

[emad]

5. Ian Blair's days were over with the publication of GCHQ's admission

about eavesdropping on 'Real IRA' bastards behind the Omah atrocity?

I wonder what kind of bung - a la cash-for-honors, maybe - it took for this otherwise career copper to be party to the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent New labour fudges....