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| Assembly call to sack Met chief | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Members of the London Assembly have passed a vote of no confidence in Sir Ian Blair, the Met Police Commissioner. | |
| Conservatives and Liberal Democrats on the assembly united to ensure the motion was passed by 15 votes to eight. | |
| Addressing members before the vote, Sir Ian Blair repeated his apology for the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes but insisted he will not resign. | |
| He said his force would not appeal a jury's ruling that the Met breached health and safety laws over the death. | |
| In 2005, Mr de Menezes was shot dead by firearms officers on the London Underground after he was mistaken for a suicide bomber. | |
| The motion, which called on the Metropolitan Police Authority to sack Sir Ian, was passed after the commissioner was questioned for two hours. | |
| Conservative group leader Richard Barnes said there were "very grave questions" over Sir Ian's leadership. | Conservative group leader Richard Barnes said there were "very grave questions" over Sir Ian's leadership. |
| 'Split second' | 'Split second' |
| Sir Ian told the assembly that he would have resigned if he had been guilty of "a series of failings" . | Sir Ian told the assembly that he would have resigned if he had been guilty of "a series of failings" . |
| However, he said it would be wrong for him to stand down on the basis of one operation going wrong when the Met had successfully countered a string of terrorist threats. | However, he said it would be wrong for him to stand down on the basis of one operation going wrong when the Met had successfully countered a string of terrorist threats. |
| He added: "There are three options here. There is resign now and walk away. There is cling on, and be pushed out. | He added: "There are three options here. There is resign now and walk away. There is cling on, and be pushed out. |
| "Or there is the one that I am going to do, which is survive. | "Or there is the one that I am going to do, which is survive. |
| "Every time I have spoken about this I have apologised for that death. | "Every time I have spoken about this I have apologised for that death. |
| "We've now had enough time to consider clearly what we should do about the verdict and we will not be appealing it." | "We've now had enough time to consider clearly what we should do about the verdict and we will not be appealing it." |
| He acknowledged that he had made "widely-publicised" mistakes, but said that Londoners would judge him on falling crime figures and safer streets. | He acknowledged that he had made "widely-publicised" mistakes, but said that Londoners would judge him on falling crime figures and safer streets. |
| We have come to the conclusion that we have no confidence in Sir Ian Blair's stewardship of the Metropolitan Police Service Richard BarnesConservative group leader, GLA | We have come to the conclusion that we have no confidence in Sir Ian Blair's stewardship of the Metropolitan Police Service Richard BarnesConservative group leader, GLA |
| London mayor Ken Livingstone, who has given Sir Ian his backing, said that that a "cynical campaign" was being waged against the commissioner. | |
| He said: "Today's vote by the London Assembly on the Met Commissioner shows why the government was right to give the London Assembly no powers whatever in policing." | |
| "Al-Qaeda must be laughing at us while we busy ourselves pillorying the police who keep us safe." | |
| But Mr Barnes said: "We have come to the conclusion that we have no confidence in Sir Ian Blair's stewardship of the Metropolitan Police service." | |
| The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is due to publish its report into the incident on Thursday. | The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is due to publish its report into the incident on Thursday. |
| The commissioner may also learn shortly whether he is to face another vote of confidence at an emergency meeting of his force's police authority. | The commissioner may also learn shortly whether he is to face another vote of confidence at an emergency meeting of his force's police authority. |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has written to her Tory shadow, David Davis, criticising his call for Sir Ian's resignation. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has written to her Tory shadow, David Davis, criticising his call for Sir Ian's resignation. |
| Ms Smith told reporters that politicians like herself and Mr Davis should rally round the police. | Ms Smith told reporters that politicians like herself and Mr Davis should rally round the police. |
| Jacqui Smith has come out in defence of Sir Ian Blair | Jacqui Smith has come out in defence of Sir Ian Blair |
| "We'll never be faced with having to make split-second decisions in life-and-death policing operations, but we should think seriously and soberly about the impact that our comments and actions have on those who do have to do that," she said. | "We'll never be faced with having to make split-second decisions in life-and-death policing operations, but we should think seriously and soberly about the impact that our comments and actions have on those who do have to do that," she said. |
| "I think as responsible politicians we should be getting behind those who are at the forefront of our fight against terrorism." | "I think as responsible politicians we should be getting behind those who are at the forefront of our fight against terrorism." |
| She said it was wrong to politicise the future of an independent police commissioner. | She said it was wrong to politicise the future of an independent police commissioner. |
| Ms Smith added: "So it is I who am asking you, in the strongest terms, to reconsider your position on this matter and place the nation's security above opportunistic party politics." | Ms Smith added: "So it is I who am asking you, in the strongest terms, to reconsider your position on this matter and place the nation's security above opportunistic party politics." |
| She said she retained "full confidence" in Sir Ian and the Met. | She said she retained "full confidence" in Sir Ian and the Met. |