Former metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair died

Former metropolitan Police Commissioner, Lord Ian Blair died at the age of 72.

Crossbench Peer and Senior Police Officer led the UK’s biggest force between 2005 and 2008 during 7/7 bomb blasts in London.

Christ Church, Oxford, where Lord Blair studied English and later became an honorary student, confirmed his death on Friday.

Born in Chester in 1953, Lord Blair joined the Mate in 1974 as part of his graduate entry plan.

He rose through ranks, serving in both uniform and CID, and led a major investigation, including the reaction of Kings Cross Fire of 1987.

In 1998, he became the chief constable of the Surrey Police before meeting as a deputy commissioner two years later.

Lord Blair was appointed as Commissioner in February 2005, a series of bomb blasts a few months ago killed 52 people on London’s transport network.

Two weeks later, firefighters were shot dead by Brazilian electrician Jean Charles de Mannez at Stockwell Underground Station, after committing him wrong for a terrorist suspect.

The force was later found to be a violation of health and safety laws in shooting.

Lord Blair was cleaned with personal wrongdoings, but faced continuous pressure on the incident for the rest of its time in the role.

He stepped into 2008 after losing the support of the then newly elected mayor Boris Johnson of London.

In his resignation letter, Lord Blair said: “This has been the most glorious task of my life to lead the men and women of the metropolitan police.

“It is the duty of the commissioner to lead the mate through good time and bad: to accept office burden and pressure and above, to be a steward to the service he ordered.”