London Assembly has ‘no confidence’ in Ian Blair
The London Assembly has passed a vote of no confidence in the Met commissioner Sir Ian Blair, placing further pressure on him to resign or for the Met to replace him.
Conservative members in the assembly brought a vote of no confidence against the commissioner after their leader Richard Barnes said “very serious questions” had arisen over his leadership.
Mr Barnes said Londoners had lost confidence in the commissioner’s “stewardship”.
The vote forces the assembly’s chairwoman Sally Hamwee to write to the home secretary expressing its loss of confidence in the commissioner.
Speaking to the assembly before the vote, Sir Ian defended his position, insisting he had no reason to resign.
He insisted his force’s prosecution under health and safety legislation did not amount to a finding of systematic failings.
The fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes had been an “isolated breach brought about by quite extraordinary circumstances,” he said.
Sir Ian defended his position and pointed to a newspaper survey of Londoners showing a majority still hold his abilities in high regard.
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone condemned the assembly’s vote and the home secretary has also spoken out in defence of Sir Ian.
The Association of Chief Police Officers criticised the assembly’s vote, noting members divided along political lines.
Earlier, Jacqui Smith chastised opposition politicians in the “strongest terms” for seeking to “politicise” the future of the Met commissioner.
The home secretary has written to her shadow counterpart David Davies to rebuke him for placing “opportunistic party politics” above national security.
Mr Davies has been leading calls for Sir Ian’s resignation as head the Met police after his force was found guilty of breaching health and safety laws on July 22nd 2005 – culminating in the death of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell tube station.
In a letter to the shadow home secretary, Ms Smith wrote: “You and I will never face the challenge of making split second decisions in life and death policing operations.
“We do, however, need to consider soberly and seriously the impact that our words and the strength of our support has on those who do.
“I think that my job, and that of other responsible politicians, is to back those who risk their lives to protect the British people from that terrorist threat.”
She concluded: “So it is I who am asking you, in the strongest terms, to reconsider your position on this matter and place the nation’s security above opportunistic party politics.”
The Conservatives, as well as the Liberal Democrats, argue Sir Ian must be held accountable for his force’s failings.
A jury at the Old Bailey last week found the Met guilty of breaching health and safety legislation, although said no individual should be held accountable.
Sir Ian faces the prospect of further pressure tomorrow when the Independent Police Complaints Commission publishes its embargoed report into the fatal shooting.
Stockwell One had been held back in case it prejudiced the health and safety trial. Nevertheless, a series of leaks have suggested the report will further damage the Met’s reputation.
Today, however, Sir Ian insisted the report would reveal nothing the public did not already know, although he said it could be expressed in “new language”.
He said the Met had already reviewed the various IPPC reports, which it has held for 18 months, and implanted their recommendations.
