Ian Blair: "I am in difficulties"

On BBC Radio 4's Today programme Ian Blair made some interesting comments:

On the investigation into the execution of Jean Charles de Menezes he described the intention to be "transparent and open and explain how things happened"

Which is interesting as we already know the entire report may well not be made public.

Additionaly, he said on the shooting that "I hope listeners understand I can say little [with the investigation still to be published]", but if that is the case, and he didn't want to prejudice any inquiry why did he rush to support Cressida Dick, who so publicly acknowledged his support ?

He also conceded "I am in difficulties"

And then, on the fradulent information which he presented to the public about the shooting he said "I was not kept in the dark"

So if he wasn't kept in the dark, how does he explain what he said at the time and smear campaign that ensued ?

Then he quickly switched to saying "the investigating commission were not kept in the dark"

Which is a bizarre panic switch to make when they were kept in the dark for several days and the question was 'were you kept in the dark'

Update: He also said: "We thought we were flat out before July, we are carrying out 75% more operations now than we were say, on the 1st of July""

The London bombings took place on July 7th, in fact the terror warning had been reduced in June by MI5/JTAC. Maybe I'm being picky, but any particular reason to use July 1st as a point on this barometer of anti-terror activity, rather than July the 6th ?

It might seem trivial, but there is at least an implication that there was an increase in anti-terror operations between the 1st of July and whenever that 75% increase was determined (lets say today), and that increase ramping up to 75% didn't start on July 7th.

Interview here

Ian Blair