New Met chief named

Sir Ian Blair is to be the new Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

Scotland Yard's Deputy Commissioner will succeed Sir John Stevens when he retires in January.

Sir Ian, an Oxford graduate, had been tipped for the £221,451-a-year post and said to be "head and shoulders" above the other candidates.

He said today: "It is an enormous honour to have been chosen to lead the greatest police service in the world. The Met has been through a period of substantial change and it is an absolute privilege to be entrusted with leading, shaping and modernising the service in the years ahead."

The married father-of-two will sign a five-year contract to take charge of 30,000 officers and oversee Britain's anti-terrorist operations.

The promotion of the man once described as Britain's most politicallycorrect officer and "Labour's favourite cop" was rubber-stamped by the Queen after an interview with Home Secretary David Blunkett.

Sir Ian, 51, is highly regarded by the Metropolitan Police Authority and the Home Office for his drive to modernise the police. In 1999 he provoked controversy when he spoke out against the "canteen culture" of prejudice within the force. After a report into the death of black teenager Stephen Lawrence he said the police must change their attitude to ethnic minority and homosexual officers.

He applied to succeed Sir Paul Condon as Commissioner five years ago, but the job went to Sir John and he was appointed deputy. Sir Ian added: "A successful Met is vital to the success of London and Sir John Stevens and I have worked closely together to make it the safest major city in the world. I want to pay tribute to him for what he has achieved.

"I don't underestimate the challenges that lie ahead, but the dedication, hard work and professionalism of our officers and staff gives me the confidence to build on those achievements." Sir John said his successor was the "right man to

meet the changing demands and future challenges".

Sir Ian is regarded by many throughout the force as the "thinking man's copper".

He joined under the graduate scheme in 1974 and experienced the reality of front-line policing as a constable, sergeant and inspector. In 1999, when he was Surrey's Chief Constable, he said: "The police service is still seeking to serve a multicultural and modern nation with a homogenous and traditional working culture." This kind of talk saw him dubbed the PC Pc by Right-wing commentators.

But in 2002 he sparked controversy by saying publicly that society could not duck the fact that most muggers were black. Other public statements have incurred the wrath of both liberals and traditionalists. Earlier this year he said arresting people for possessing small amounts of cannabis was pointless.