'24,000 police officers demand Ian Blair sacked'
From Wedenday's Daily Mail, March 15:
"Met cheif must go for the force's sake, says police leader
Sir Ian Blair was dealt another shattering blow last night after the leader of 24,000 of his rank-and-file officers effectively demanded his resignation over the telephone-taping scandal. Paul Roberts, who represents tens of thousands of serving constables, believes Sir Ian should step down to protect the reputation of the Metropolitan Police.
In an email circulated to key members of the Metropolitan Police Federation yesterdat, Mr Roberts said the commissioner's position was now 'untenable' and he should resign forthwith."
Ian Blair
"Met cheif must go for the force's sake, says police leader
Sir Ian Blair was dealt another shattering blow last night after the leader of 24,000 of his rank-and-file officers effectively demanded his resignation over the telephone-taping scandal. Paul Roberts, who represents tens of thousands of serving constables, believes Sir Ian should step down to protect the reputation of the Metropolitan Police.
In an email circulated to key members of the Metropolitan Police Federation yesterdat, Mr Roberts said the commissioner's position was now 'untenable' and he should resign forthwith."
Ian Blair
posted by J.UL1R4 at 4:13 PM
4 Comments:
Paul Roberts should postscript that, saying it's less to do with phone tapping and more to do with him and his officer colleagues refusing to be seen as potential executioners by frightened members of the public, 'war on terror' or not.
That'd win back confidence.
Unlike a lot of the big-boy bloggers, I made just one new-year prediction. It looks like it's getting closer & closer to coming true -- Ian Blair will go!
But then ..... who the hell knows ? Out of the frying pan into the fire? Like I said, who the hell knows?
Anon: Well yes, good points and really they should just say that, but I fear the police overall are sadly pretty stupid creatures and when the Home Office starts waving statistics and targets and a national police force in their face, they will dance. And the more powers you give the police the more they will use them.
And perhaps I also should have put a disclaimer on that post, as The Guardian's take on this story is rather different and more measured.
We have to remember Associated Newspapers (Daily Mail and General Trust) (Evening Standard and Daily Mail), don't like Ian Blair possibly because he is a buddy of Ken Livingstone who they helped put through the wringer recently, and has expressed similar sympathies as Ken. I certainly wouldn't rule out that as a component of the motivation for the intensity of the story.
Richard:
Yes, Ian Blair on his way out alright, I think the writing was on the wall from day one really, even pre-de Menezes, this guy was coming out for the regime on ID cards, various terror laws and such pre-election and was calling for the DNA database before that.
But as you say, exactly...the danger is of course, we get rid of Ian Blair and might get something even worse. If they replace Blair with another political tool we are still in a lot of danger.
Another take on this...
Perhaps they want Ian Blair out before the investigation of his conduct on de Menezes is complete. It's possible it will either be too damaging for the police, or point the finger at the regime itself.
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