Could you say that again more slowly and clearly, Minister

You all know my feelings about Sir Ian Blair, the Government's Metropolitan Police Puppet. I really, really don't like, admire or respect him. He blunders from high profile cock-up to media disaster. He isn't a real policeman and his force has no confidence in him. I greatly want to see him replaced.

Then he goes and does something sensible. I am torn!!

Let me assure you, if I am ever in a situation where I must have telephone calls with some of these Government Ministers, you can be absolutely certain that I will record them.

What is fascinating is that, unless I have missed something, it isn't clear how it became known that he had taped these calls. Are his own staff finally shoving him off the balcony? Or is the Government somehow conspiring to get rid of him before the report on the De Menezes shooting condemns him (and embarrasses them)?

It is rather amusing that Sir Ian is powerless to call off the very political beast that he snuggled up to so successfully and which appointed him with such confidence.

Political naivety can now be added to the long list of incompetences with which Sir Ian is so well endowed.

UPDATE: As always there are clever people at the Telegraph who sum up the case against Ian Blair a little better than I can.