Crime correspondent Sandra Laville on the ousting of the Metropolitan police chief, Sir Ian Blair, by the London mayor, Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson is, as I have long maintained, a great man. It is no small achievement to have prised the prehensile policeman away from his office. Sir Ian Blair announces his resignation I won't rehearse the case against Sir Ian Blair all over again. If you want the full charge-sheet, read this and this. The man was vain, touchy and inept, and presided over an unforgivable misdirection of the...

It is easy to forget the contribution Sir Ian has made to the Metropolitan Police Service and the safety of Londoners, building on the success of Sir John Stevens. Under Sir Ian’s leadership, the roll-out of Safer Neighbourhood Teams was accelerated, the co-ordination between business groups at New Scotland Yard improved and overall crime in

Less than two weeks ago I wrote about the failings of Sir Iain Blair; Ian Blair has led the Met to the brink of disaster. I highlighted political correctness, infighting within senior ranks and, of course, the Jean Charles de...

Metropolitan police commissioner Sir Ian Blair has resigned, citing friction between himself and London mayor Boris Johnson.

Sir Ian Blair, perhaps the most political policeman in Britain, has protested about the "politicisation" of his office. What really bothers him, of course, is not that the office should be politicised, but that its direction should be set by Boris Johnson, who is answerable to Londoners, rather than by him, Ian Blair. In a delightful slip, the Commissioner added: "I will continue to stay in offic...

So farewell then Sir Ian Blair. Just 29 days ago the Metropolitan Police Chief was mocking reports that he was set to be ousted. "The report of my death is an exaggeration,'' he told reporters, quoting Mark Twain. Sir Ian Blair has been an increasingly unpopular commissioner Well, not much, lord copper. Perhaps we can be hardly surprised, particularly given that Jacqui Smith, the Home Se...

Sir Ian Blair has attacked Boris Johnson for abusing his powers as London mayor by forcing him out as the head of Scotland Yard.

From The Times “Sir Ian Blair is expected to announce his resignation as Metropolitan Police Commissioner this afternoon. Sources told The Times that the pressures of recent months had forced Sir Ian, who became commissioner in February 2005, to consider his position. He is understood to be standing down before Boris Johnson, the new Tory Mayor of London,

Sir Ian Blair has quit his post as Britain's top policeman - saying that London's mayor forced him out.