FORMER Met Police boss Lord Ian Blair – the top cop during London’s 7/7 terror attacks – has died aged 72.
The senior officer, who led the London force between 2005 and 2008, was at the forefront of the response to the suicide bombings that killed 52 people 20 years ago.
His death was confirmed tonight by the University of Oxford’s Christ Church College, where he had studied and was an honorary student.
A spokesman said: “The Christ Church community would like to extend its condolences to the family of Ian Blair, The Lord Blair of Boughton QPM, who has died at the age of 72.”
It is understood diversity champion Lord Blair – at one time dubbed New Labour’s favourite cop – had been ill for some time.
Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley paid tribute, saying: ‘Lord Ian’s passing is a huge loss to the police family. He dedicated his life to policing and will be remembered as one of the most influential police leaders of recent decades.
“He oversaw some of the most challenging moments in our history – not least the response to the horrific terror attacks on 7 July 2005 which we commemorated earlier this week.
“Lord Ian will also be remembered for the vast contribution he made to improving our overall approach to policing and the service we provide to victims.
‘’What is now seen as best practice in rape cases is in large part a result of his empathy and foresight. He was passionate about the British Policing model based around communities and introduced neighbourhood policing and PCSOs as Commissioner.
“Even after leaving the Met, he continued to be friend of policing and police officers, contributing thoughtfully from his position in the House of Lords.
“My thoughts and the thoughts of everyone at the Met are with Lord Ian’s family and friends during this difficult time, and particularly his wife, Felicity and their children Amelia and Josh.”
Lord Blair’s policing career was defined by the Met’s response to 7/7, 20 years ago this week, and the subsequent shooting of innocent Jean Charles de Menezes, who was mistaken for a suspect.
Born in Chester, Lord Blair joined the Met in 1974 as a graduate from Oxford.
He joined as a Constable based in Central London and served for 10 years on the beat.
Blair was promoted in 1985 to Detective Chief Inspector and two years later took on the task of identifying victims of the King’s Cross fire, which killed 31 people.
Considered a rising star in the force, he was branded a “thinking man’s policeman” and moved to Thames Valley Police as Assistant Chief Constable.
The cop was sent back to London in 2000 to act as Deputy Commissioner of the UK’s biggest police force, and took the top job five years later.
Seven months into his stint as Commissioner, he was faced with one of the largest policing operations in British history when London was attacked by suicide bombers.
Three tube trains and a bus were blown up by Islamic terrorists in an attack that is still the UK’s worst terror attack.
Only 15 days later, Blair faced calls to quit his job over the shooting of de Menezes at Stockwell station in South London.
Within days of the killing, Blair called the Independent Police Complaints Commission and wrote to the Home Office, telling both they would not be given access to the scene.
The Met, prosecuted as an institution, was eventually convicted of violating health and safety laws.
Prosecutors claimed there were 19 “catastrophic errors” but said the shooting was an “isolated breach under quite extraordinary circumstances”.
He was later criticised for seeking a £25,000 performance bonus, on top of his £228,000 salary, while rank-and-file officers were suspended.
Blair sparked more controversy when he claimed Islamic terrorism “is a far graver threat in terms of civilians than either the Cold War or the Second World War”.
He was also reprimanded for secretly recording telephone conversations with the then-Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith.
In 2008, he resigned after a string of spats with new London mayor Boris Johnson, and took a crossbench seat in the House of Lords in 2010.
