Boris deputy 'in plot to remove Met chief Blair'

Kit Malthouse: denies plotting against Met chief Sir Ian Blair

5 April 2012

Boris Johnson's deputy mayor for policing is attempting to change Metropolitan Police Authority rules to give his boss the power to suspend commissioner Sir Ian Blair.

However, Kit Malthouse denied he was plotting to remove Sir Ian pending an inquiry into how a close friend was awarded £3 million worth of contracts with Scotland Yard.

In a series of leaked internal emails, Mr Malthouse called for amendments to the rules which leave the Met commissioner's fate in the hands of the force's governing body.

"There is too much decision making by committee on stuff like this and it gives individual members far too much sense of power," he told one Scotland Yard official. "Essentially it's the Mayor's decision to suspend or not."

Mr Malthouse also said that he was "very cross" that the outgoing Labour chair of the MPA, Len Duvall, was still involved in the decision-making process.

Under existing rules it would be the decision of the MPA to suspend Sir Ian, although it would need the Home Secretary's approval to sack him.

Mr Johnson has previously called for the Mayor to be given the power to sack the commissioner saying there is a " democrat ic deficit" in the present arrangements.

The Mayor, who will chair the MPA from October, claimed he could not be a proper champion for the people of London while he was unable to hold the Met chief properly to account.

However, the timing of Mr Malthouse's remarks, coming when Sir Ian is under formal investigation over his conduct, immediately prompted concerns that Mr Johnson was plotting to remove the commissioner.

The deputy mayor issued an immediate denial saying the internal emails were asking "what might or might not happen in a hypothetical situation".

He said the issue of suspension was raised as "the possibility of what might happen in the future", adding: "That doesn't mean that it was actively under consideration."

Mr Malthouse added: "I've been in the job six weeks so I guess I was querying whether it was appropriate to go there [the professional standards sub-committee]." A spokeswoman for Mr Johnson said: "Boris hasn't had any meetings or conversations about the future of Sir Ian Blair and awaits the outcome of any investigation. He continues to work with Sir Ian in fighting crime in London."

But the row escalated to the point where lawyers had to inform Mr Johnson's team that it did not have the power to remove Sir Ian.

David Riddle, the MPA's lawyer, had described the situation as "uniquely serious" and asked for his legal advice to be shown to the Mayor.

He said: "If there is to be action against the commissioner, it has got to be lawful. If the nuclear button is pressed, expect it to be crawled over for legal flaws." Mr Riddle said he also expected Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and her officials, as well as the Independent Police Complaints Commission, to be kept informed.

The leaked emails will add to the pressure on Sir Ian's beleaguered leadership. He is fighting allegations of racism made by Britain's most senior Asian officer, Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur.

Next month an inquest into the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes is expected to heap more criticism on the Met and expose serious failings in procedure.

The force is also awaiting a tribunal judgment on another senior officer, Shabir Hussain, alleging racism.

It is the second time in his career that Sir Ian has been investigated over his conduct, which is unprecedented for a Scotland Yard commissioner.

Last year Sir Ian was cleared of wrong-doing following a police watchdog investigation into claims he put out misleading statements in the aftermath of the shooting of Mr de Menezes.

He is also currently under formal investigation with the Home Secretary expected to appoint an independent investigator to scrutinise his role after skiing companion, Andy Miller, won a series of lucrative contracts at Scotland Yard.

Sir Ian denies any impropriety in the process of awarding contracts.

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