Top British cop resigns

Britain’s top policeman Sir Ian Blair has announced his resignation after losing the backing of London mayor Boris Johnson.



The Metropolitan Police Commissioner will step down after three years on the job.



Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is reported as saying deputy commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson will take over as acting head of the Metropolitan Police Service.



BBC reports said the mayor has repeatedly avoided publicly backing Sir Ian since being elected in May and had called for the commissioner to be directly accountable to City Hall.



Sir Ian, who took over as commissioner in February 2005, said he would be stepping down on December one.



His tenure has been dogged by controversy.



The Metropolitan Authority auditors are currently examining Scotland Yard contracts given to consultancy firm Impact Plus, run by a friend of the commissioner.



There have been questions about his handling of events surrounding the 2005 death of Jean Charles de Menezes, who was shot dead at Stockwell Underground station in south London after being mistaken for a suicide bomber.



The Met Police were later convicted of health and safety offences over the incident.