Home Secretary attacks Boris Johnson for forcing the resignation of the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair.

Peter Facey (London, Unlock Democracy): Following the resignation (or was it sacking?) of the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair after Boris Johnson said he did not have confidence in him, there has been a lot of talk about political control of policing. Boris has been criticised for overstepping his authority and the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has made it clear that she will ultimate...

... same as the old one: The new Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police promised a break from the tenure of his predecessor Sir Ian Blair as he was unveiled as Britain's top police officer today. Sir Paul Stephenson, flanked by Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, and Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, on the steps of Scotland Yard, declared that he would take a new approach to the country’s most...

Labour sought to make political capital out of Sir Ian Blair's resignation last night. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith attacked London Mayor Boris Johnson for telling Blair that he had no confidence in him as head of the Metropolitan Police. Despite a catalogue of errors, a record of poor leadership and serious question marks over Ian Blair's integrity, it seems clear the Home Secretary was happy for

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was upset that London Mayor Boris Johnson announced his lack of confidence in the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair. She claimed he was politicising the position, undermining the fair unpolitical system where only the Home Secretary chooses who the Met Chief. Boris then announced an inquiry into racism in the Met

I'm told Jacqui Smith will only get around to advertising for the job of a new Met Police Chief in January to replace Sir Ian Blair. Paul Stephenson will carry out the duties until then. This is most likely to ensure that any fall-out inquest of the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes will not be in the in-tray of the incoming Commissioner. Senior Tories are now demanding that David Cameron ge...

Jacqui Smith would consider an offer to work for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.

A three month long period of "drift" at the top of the Metropolitan Police is feared after the departure of Sir Ian Blair.

Jacqui Smith has given a rather reflective interview to Andrew Neil, which you can see on the BBC News Channel this weekend, in which she concedes that she’s likely to lose her seat. But, to my mind, the most interesting thing about the interview is how frank she is about how Blair was bundled out of office by the Brownites. Look at how she answers this question: Andrew Neil:  And can w...

Sir Ian Blair resigned this afternoon as Metropolitan Police Commissioner, with effect from 1st December. Dee Doocey, Liberal Democrat London Assembly spokesperson on policing (and a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority) said: The Metropolitan Police Service is crying out for strong leadership, and whoever takes over has a mountain to climb. The lack of leadership at