Former Met Police commissioner Ian Blair dies

Former Metropolitan Police commissioner, Lord Blair, has died at the age of 72.

Ian Blair led the UK's largest police force between 2005 and 2008, during which the 7/7 bombings took place. He died on Wednesday following a short illness, a Met Police spokesperson said.

Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said Lord Blair's death was a "huge loss to the police family" and he would be "remembered as one of the most influential police leaders of recent decades".

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said that Lord Blair had "dedicated over 30 years to public service as a police officer" and offered condolences to his family.

The senior police officer saw his career cut short when he was axed from Scotland Yard by then-mayor Boris Johnson.

Until that point, he had held on to the job despite the furore caused by death of Jean Charles de Menezes.

Met Police firearms officers fatally shot the Brazilian electrician at Stockwell Tube station in July 2005 after mistaking him for a suicide bomber. Cressida Dick, who was later promoted to the role of Met Police chief, was the officer in charge of the operation.

Blair clung on with the support of the home secretary, the Police Authority and, most of all, his senior officers.

But when Johnson took charge of the Police Authority and told him privately that he had no confidence in his work, he walked out.

Born in Chester in 1953, Blair joined the Met in 1974 as part of its graduate entry scheme.

He rose through the ranks, serving in both uniform and as a detective, and went on to lead major investigations, including the response to the King's Cross fire of 1987.

In 1998, he became chief constable of Surrey Police before returning to the Met two years later as deputy commissioner.

He was appointed commissioner in February 2005, just months before a series of bombings killed 52 people on London's transport network.

It was two weeks later that Mr De Menezes was killed by officers who were responding to the threat of further possible suicide bombers.

The Met was ultimately found to have breached health and safety laws over the shooting.

Blair was cleared of personal wrongdoing but faced sustained pressure over the killing for the remainder of his time in the role.

In his resignation letter, he said: "It has been the proudest task of my life to lead the men and women of the Metropolitan Police.

"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."

He took a seat as a crossbench peer in 2010 when he became Lord Blair of Boughton, a nod to his roots in Cheshire. He had been knighted in 1999.

Paying tribute to Lord Blair, Sir Mark said: "He oversaw some of the most challenging moments in our history, not least the response to the horrific terror attacks on July 7 2005 which we commemorated earlier this week."

Sir Mark said Lord Blair would also be remembered for the "vast contribution he made to improving our overall approach to policing and the service we provide to victims".

The Met commissioner added that Lord Blair had led changes in how rape cases were handled with his "empathy and foresight".

"Even after leaving the Met, he continued to be friend of policing and police officers, contributing thoughtfully from his position in the House of Lords."

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