Blair accused over Met independence

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Ex-deputy assistant commissioner Brian Paddick also accused Sir Ian of forcing him to publicly back plans for extending the pre-charge detention of terror suspects to up to 90 days.

His comments, in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, follow Mr Paddick's attack on the Met Commissioner when he was named Liberal Democrat candidate for mayor of London on Tuesday.

Sir Ian is already under intense pressure over the Stockwell Tube shooting, with the Metropolitan Police Authority issuing a vote of no confidence in him.

Mr Paddick used this week's mayoral campaign launch to align himself with the Lib Dems' call for Sir Ian to resign and insisted the Commissioner had become a Labour ally.

He criticised Sir Ian for supporting controversial Labour proposals such as ID cards and increasing the 28-day detention period.

In the interview, Mr Paddick steps up his attack, saying the Commissioner's political views have undermined the public's confidence in Scotland Yard.

"As soon as people perceive that the police commissioner is too close to a political party it undermines public confidence in the whole of the police force," he said.

"It calls the political independence of the police into question. Police officers want the public to be proud of them, if there's a perception that their chief is aligned to a political party that undermines the rank and file officers."

Mr Paddick claimed Sir Ian forced him to put his name to a press release supporting former prime minister Tony Blair's failed attempt to introduce a 90-day detention limit.