Greenfieldsite (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} greenfieldsite) wrote,@ 2007-11-07 22:25:00 |
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On Sir Ian Blair
The London Assembly voted today:
"This Assembly calls on the Metropolitan Police Authority to take the necessary steps to bring to an end the debate on the position of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, which is to the detriment of policing in London and bring his appointment to an end, if necessary obtaining the consent of the Home Secretary.
Given the lack of confidence in the Commissioner’s stewardship of the Metropolitan Police Service, this Assembly also calls upon Sir Ian to reconsider his own position and resign."
Am I in a minority for thinking this is extreme? Sir Ian is not like a Cabinet Minister who has a £60K+ p.a. (+ expenses) job as M.P. to fall back on if he resigns. As a career police professional he has nowhere immediately to go if he loses his job.
Surely if the Assembly Members genuinely feel that Ian Blair is the wrong person for the job it would be fairer to call for his demotion?
I am not qualified to comment, but suspect that much of the moves against him are politically motivated, and prefer to trust in Jenny Jones (Green Party AM) who serves on the Metropolitan Police Authority and voted in support of him, arguing as follows.
An alternative Green Party view is expressed by Siân Berry, London Mayoral candidate, here. My feeling on this though is that Siân's argument appears to be against a policy rather than an individual. If that is the only argument put forward then would it not be more appropriate to call primarily for a change in policy rather than a change in individual?
The London Assembly voted today:
"This Assembly calls on the Metropolitan Police Authority to take the necessary steps to bring to an end the debate on the position of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, which is to the detriment of policing in London and bring his appointment to an end, if necessary obtaining the consent of the Home Secretary.
Given the lack of confidence in the Commissioner’s stewardship of the Metropolitan Police Service, this Assembly also calls upon Sir Ian to reconsider his own position and resign."
Am I in a minority for thinking this is extreme? Sir Ian is not like a Cabinet Minister who has a £60K+ p.a. (+ expenses) job as M.P. to fall back on if he resigns. As a career police professional he has nowhere immediately to go if he loses his job.
Surely if the Assembly Members genuinely feel that Ian Blair is the wrong person for the job it would be fairer to call for his demotion?
I am not qualified to comment, but suspect that much of the moves against him are politically motivated, and prefer to trust in Jenny Jones (Green Party AM) who serves on the Metropolitan Police Authority and voted in support of him, arguing as follows.
An alternative Green Party view is expressed by Siân Berry, London Mayoral candidate, here. My feeling on this though is that Siân's argument appears to be against a policy rather than an individual. If that is the only argument put forward then would it not be more appropriate to call primarily for a change in policy rather than a change in individual?
