Boris 'lied about crime'
Tuesday, 3 November 2009 12:00 AM
By Ian Dunt
Boris Johnson lied about rising crime in the run up to the London mayoral election, Sir Ian Blair has claimed.
The former head of the Met, who is publishing his memoirs this week, said Mr Johnson had talked up crime despite knowing it was falling as part of his campaign to get elected.
"'You will have to praise the achievements of the cops where praise is due,' I said [to Boris Johnson]," Sir Ian wrote.
"'You cannot go on talking down the fall in crime in London, which they have achieved. They need to know you care about them. That way we can work together.'
"He looked me straight in the face and replied: 'I agree. Look, I know that Ken, the Met and you, in particular, have a good story to tell about crime in London in these last few years but I simply would not have been elected mayor of London if I had admitted that.'"
Sir Ian added: "I understand that politics is the art of the possible but the complete shamelessness of that comment was pretty staggering."
The comments will be taken with a pinch of salt by Boris supporters, who will cite Sir Ian's problematic relationship with the mayor as a reason for the passage.
Sir Ian quit his job after it became clear he did not have the confidence of the new mayor.
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