Britain's most senior police officer resigned today following criticism of his leadership and his handling of major investigations including terrorism cases.
Ian Blair, commissioner of the London Metropolitan police, said he was stepping down as head of the 31,000-strong force 16 months before his contract was due to expire after being asked to go by the city's new mayor Boris Johnson.
"I have today offered my resignation as commissioner to the home secretary," Blair told a news conference. "I am resigning in the best interests of the people of London and the Metropolitan police service."
The decision follows months of negative headlines surrounding the 55-year-old, particularly the mistaken killing by undercover police of a Brazilian man, Jean Charles de Menezes, on the London Underground in July 2005.
Mr De Menezes was confused with a terrorism suspect and shot seven times in the back of the head a day after failed suicide bombings on the transport network and when the capital was still jittery after deadly suicide attacks two weeks earlier.
Mr Blair said he did not want to resign, but felt he couldn't go on without the support of the mayor.
"At a meeting yesterday, the new mayor made clear in a very pleasant and determined way that he wished there to be a change of leadership at the Met," he said. "Without the mayor's backing I do not consider that I can continue in the job."
Oxford-educated Mr Blair has had a stormy time in office since taking over the top police job in February 2005.
As well as the shooting of Mr de Menezes, he was accused of racial discrimination by Britain's highest-ranking Muslim police officer. He was frequently outspoken in defending his policies.
Mr Blair always rejected the criticism of his leadership and repeatedly stated he had no intention of resigning.
Speaking after Mr Blair's resignation, Mr Johnson said he greatly respected Blair but the two could not work well together.
"There comes a time in any organisation when it becomes clear that it would benefit from new leadership and new clarity of purpose," Mr Johnson said. "That time is now."
He said there was no particular story or allegation that had brought the issue to its head, but it was the right time for a change as Mr Johnson prepares to chair the committee that oversees the policing of the capital.
While the resignation is a surprise, given his insistence that he intended to stay until his term expired at the end of January 2010, Mr Blair's move is unlikely to have any immediate impact on how London's police force is run.
However, it may draw a line under a three-year period during which the reputation of Britain's premier force has been repeatedly called into question.
Reuters