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Ex-Met boss cleared of contracts Ex-Met boss cleared over conduct
(about 1 hour later)
Former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Sir Ian Blair has been cleared of misconduct over the award of police contracts valued at £3m to a friend.Former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Sir Ian Blair has been cleared of misconduct over the award of police contracts valued at £3m to a friend.
Sir Ian's spokeswoman said an independent inquiry found "absolutely no evidence of dishonesty". The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) said an inquiry had found "no evidence of dishonesty or criminal offence".
The inquiry looked at a contract given in 2002 to the consultancy firm Impact Plus, later Hitachi Consulting, owned by his skiing partner Andy Miller. The inquiry looked at a contract given in 2002 to the consultancy firm Impact Plus, owned by his friend Andy Miller.
The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) does not plan to publish the report. The MPA said it would not be publishing the report yet, but Sir Ian said there was "no reason" to withhold it.
Sir Ian has maintained he was "open and straightforward" about his relationship with Mr Miller. Impact Plus, later Hitachi Consulting, was hired to provide communications and IT systems for the Met and Sir Ian maintains he was "open and straightforward" about his relationship with Mr Miller, his skiing partner.
The former Commissioner has not seen the report himself. A spokesman for the MPA said as the report did not find any evidence of dishonesty "no further action" would be taken against Sir Ian.
A statement on the inquiry said: "Sir Ian Blair has now been informed by the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) that the report of Sir Ronnie Flanagan has acquitted him of allegations of impropriety.
I can find no reason why the police authority... should refuse to publish a report which exonerates me entirely from allegations of wrongdoing Sir Ian BlairI can find no reason why the police authority... should refuse to publish a report which exonerates me entirely from allegations of wrongdoing Sir Ian Blair
"The MPA has also informed Sir Ian that it does not intend to take any further action in respect of him, but that it does not propose to publish the report. The MPA spokesman said: "At the meeting on Monday, members of the sub-committee took the decision not to publish the final report.
"Sir Ian is now left to take the unilateral action of issuing this press release in order to put into the public domain the findings made by Sir Ronnie. "The sub-committee was not required to determine whether disciplinary proceedings should be brought against Sir Ian Blair since he is no longer serving with the Met.
"He is unable however to release the report since he has not been provided with a copy," it said. "The sub-committee was required to consider whether a criminal offence may have been committed. It determined that the report and supporting evidence did not demonstrate any evidence of dishonesty.
"It also concluded that there was no evidence that any criminal offence had been committed."
'Deeply unfair'
He added: "The MPA recognises the importance of 'lessons to be learned' arising from this investigation and until that work has been concluded has decided not to publish."
Sir Ian released details of three of the conclusions of the inquiry passed to him in a letter which established that there was no basis for a criminal prosecution.Sir Ian released details of three of the conclusions of the inquiry passed to him in a letter which established that there was no basis for a criminal prosecution.
'Thorough inquiry' Sir Ian said: "I can find no reason why the police authority, whom I served as commissioner and deputy commissioner for nine years, should refuse to publish a report which exonerates me entirely from allegations of wrongdoing.
Sir Ian has called on the MPA to publish the full report.
He said: "I can find no reason why the police authority, whom I served as commissioner and deputy commissioner for nine years, should refuse to publish a report which exonerates me entirely from allegations of wrongdoing.
"Sir Ronnie's interim report, and now his final report, have been based on a thorough and lengthy inquiry.
"It is a great sadness that all of the hard work involved in the extraordinary transformation of communications which the C3i Programme brought to the Met should be overshadowed by this inquiry and now this refusal to publish its findings.""It is a great sadness that all of the hard work involved in the extraordinary transformation of communications which the C3i Programme brought to the Met should be overshadowed by this inquiry and now this refusal to publish its findings."
His solicitor, Stephen Parkinson, said: "The decision of the MPA not to inform the public that Sir Ronnie's investigation has acquitted Sir Ian of any misconduct, and to suppress the report or at least those parts affecting him, is deeply unfair."
Sir Ronnie's report in to the 11-month-inquiry arrived at the MPA in June.
Sir Ian stepped down last December after he lost the support of Mayor of London Boris Johnson.Sir Ian stepped down last December after he lost the support of Mayor of London Boris Johnson.