LibDem mayoral hopeful Brian Paddick has not been very complimentary of his former boss Sir Ian Blair. In a Daily Telegraph interview, the former deputy assistant police commissioner claimed that commissioner Blair is far too palsy-walsy with Gordon Brown's government. Brian is not pulling his punches, saying: "If there's a perception that their chief is aligned to a political party that undermines the rank and file officers. "His position is unsustainable. I think he should resign." Wow, Sir Ian should have taken notice of the famous quote by Jimmy Durante: "Be nice to people on your way up because you meet them on your way down."
Brian also believes that Blair is wrong to support Labour's proposals for ID cards and increasing the 28-day detention period. He claims that he felt pressured into backing Tony Blair's failed attempt to introduce a 90-day detention limit: "His [Sir Ian Blair's] office said 'you are a deputy assistant commissioner in the Metropolitan Police and as such you will support 90 days'. It felt as if I had a gun to my head."
So much for an independent, non-political police force then? The only problem is that if Blair is righteously given the boot, we will probably see another one of Brown's mates step into his vacant size 10s. This really should be the final nail in Sir Ian's police career. If former senior police officers who worked under Blair are accusing him of being political biased, then he should hang up his truncheon.
A YouGov poll for today's Evening Standard shows Boris Johnson to be extending his lead over Red Ken in the London Mayoral race. Boris is now polling about 49% of the population of London (no jokes please), Ken is on 37% (he's been polling the whole of London for quite a while) and Brian Paddick is dragging arse on 12%.
