Move on Sir Ian

A vote from the members of the London Assembly calling on the Home Secretary to sack Sir Ian Blair the Metropolitan Police Commissioner was carried this afternoon after more than two hours of demanding and sometimes angry questioning. Members of the Assembly repeatedly clashed with Sir Ian as they demanded to know why he would not step down over the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes.

Sir Ian Blair has restated his suborn determination to remain in his post dispite beeing told elected London representatives have no confidence in him - but has insisted this evening that he will not resign.

The unprecedented move by the London Assembly was designed to pile fresh pressure on Sir Ian in the wake of last week's guilty verdict at the Old Bailey over the Stockwell shooting. But the Commissioner said he retained the support of senior politicians, which for the moment is true though his fellow senior officers officers and the majority of Londoners are increasingly concerned that Sir Ian position is untenable.

As regular readers of this blog will know we called for Sir Ian to resign or be sacked shortly after the killing of Mr de Menezes. Tomorrow the Independent Police Complaints Commission publishises its Stockwell One report. It is unlikely that Sir Ian Blair will retain the support of the Prime Minister beyond Friday; his arrogant attitude will be far too much of an embarrassment even for Gordon Brown to tolerate.