Boris Johnson 'threatened' Sir Ian Blair before Met chief's resignation » Local Government » 24dash.com

Mayor of London Boris Johnson threatened to tell the media he had no confidence in Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair unless he resigned, a Government minister said today.

Home Office minister Lord West of Spithead also claimed he had seen a letter from Mr Johnson which contradicted the Mayor's claim on this morning's Today programme that he did not want a long gap before the appointment of a replacement.

Lord West's comments came amid a political row over last week's resignation of the Commissioner, who was asked to step down by Mr Johnson.

The minister told peers at question time: "As I understand it, the Mayor said to the Commissioner: 'If you don't go I will find someone to ask me a question, with the media there, as to whether I have confidence in you and if they do I will say I haven't'."

Lord West said he was "disappointed" that Mr Johnson wanted a "long period" before a permanent replacement was appointed.

Tory Lord Trimble said that this morning the Mayor described "the suggestion that he wanted to spin out the appointment for some ulterior motive as 'piffle'."

Lord West replied: "I have seen a letter from him, which I won't quote, in which he does say that he wants to extend that time.

"So I'm afraid that he might have said it was piffle this morning but that is not correct."

Labour's Lord Campbell-Savours asked whether the Mayor's letter would be available under Freedom of Information legislation

Lord West replied: "I would have to check on that. I have to say not necessarily so. Indeed I certainly would have to ask the Home Secretary - I'm probably in trouble already."

Lord West described Mr Johnson's decision to ask Sir Ian to resign as "a very quick knee-jerk reaction. It was not sensible and should not have been done."

He said the Mayor reminds him of "a rather loveable Labrador puppy. He's a bit Tigger-like and he's very enthusiastic, but doesn't always necessarily think through the consequences of what he's done."

Lord West told peers: "There is a mechanism and a way of doing things which is there for very clear reasons of fairness and to make sure there is no political impact into any of this decision making."

He said the correct procedure was for Met Commissioners to be recommended to the Queen by the Home Secretary after she had taken advice from the Mayor and the Metropolitan Police Authority.

Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Forsyth of Drumlean asked: "Why on earth did the Home Secretary not refuse to accept it (Sir Ian's resignation)? Isn't the Government hiding behind the courage of Boris Johnson in doing the right thing for London?"

Lord West outlined Mr Johnson's threat to reveal his lack of confidence in Sir Ian to the media.

He added: "I think it was made very clear to him that he did not have his confidence and wanted him to go. I think Sir Ian Blair went away and thought about this and decided it was impossible for him to go on.

"The Home Secretary could have struggled and struggled to make him stay, but I quite understand his position and I think that would not have been a very sensible thing to try and make him stay in that situation.

"We should not have arrived in this position. There is a correct procedure to go through and it is absolutely right that should have been gone through. It is not fair and it is not the correct way to do things."

Tory frontbencher Baroness Hanham said it was important to get a new Commissioner to "restore public confidence".

Lord West replied: "I was rather disappointed to find that the mayor was suggesting there should be a long continuum with the deputy, Sir Paul Stephenson, standing in and this should go on for a long time.

"Indeed he said very clearly in his discussions with Ian Blair that he wanted to have a long continuum, a long period and that would be very wrong. The head of the Met has some very clear responsibilities in terms of counter-terrorism as well as the important duties he has in London and a whole raft of other duties."