"There was no chase. It was just going along at a normal speed. [The IRA men] actually said later they didn't know they were being followed." Resignation and peerage In May 2008, it was reported in the press that Blair's contract as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service would not be renewed when it expired in 2010. On 2 October 2008, Blair announced he would resign as Metropolitan Police Commissioner, with effect from 1 December 2008. He blamed a lack of support from London mayor Boris Johnson, saying that "without the mayor's backing I do not think I can continue". Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid tribute to Blair's service. Sir Paul Stephenson took over on 28 November 2008. Blair is entitled to a full police pension, estimated to be worth about £160,000 per year, based on his £240,000 commissioner's salary. In May 2010, Blair was appointed as a crossbench life peer, and was created Baron Blair of Boughton, of Boughton in the County of Cheshire on 20 July 2010. He is a member of the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill. Commissions and enquiries In 2010, Blair served on the Commission on Assisted Dying run by Demos, subsequently speaking in favour of changing the law. In the same year, along with Roma Hooper, Paul McDowell, Dame Anne Owers, Javed Khan, John Thornhill and Peter Oborne, he formed an investigative panel which led the year-long Community or Custody National Enquiry investigating the effectiveness of community sentencing over short-term prison sentences for low-level offences. Ranks and honours 1974: Police Constable 1985: Detective Chief Inspector 1988: Superintendent 1991: Chief Superintendent 1994: Assistant Chief Constable 1997: Deputy Chief Constable 1998: Chief Constable 2000: Deputy Commissioner 2005: Commissioner Blair would have held the ranks of Police Constable, Police Sergeant and Inspector between 1974 and 1985, but the dates of his appointments are unknown. A photograph in his autobiography, Policing Controversy, shows him as a uniformed sergeant in 1977. References Bibliography Investigating Rape: A New Approach for Police (1985) – via – Google books External links Sir Ian Blair profile at BBC News |- 1953 births Living people Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford British Chief Constables Commissioners of Police of the Metropolis Crossbench life peers Life peers created by Elizabeth II English Anglicans English people of Scottish descent Knights Bachelor People educated at Wrekin College People from Chester English