Former Metropolitan police chief takes seat in House of Lords

Lord Blair of Boughton, who ran the force from 2005 to 2008, will sit as a cross-bench peer and was one of three new members of the Lords, alongside Beverley Hughes and Richard Allan, to join the Upper House yesterday.

The often controversial senior police officer saw his career cut short when he was axed from Scotland Yard by Tory Mayor Boris Johnson.

Until that point he had held on to the job despite the furore caused by death of Jean Charles de Menezes, who police shot at Stockwell Tube station in July 2005 after mistaking him for a suicide bomber.

And he clung on through a series of further hurdles with the support of the home secretary, the Police Authority and his senior officers.

But when the new mayor took charge of the Police Authority and told him privately that he had no confidence in his work, he walked out.

Lord Blair, 57, was chief constable of Surrey Police for two years before becoming deputy commissioner of the Met in 2000 and taking over the top job five years later.

Former schools and families minister Baroness Hughes of Stretford, 60, will sit as a Labour peer after standing down at this year's election following 13 years as an MP.

Lord Allan of Hallam, 44, was Liberal Democrat MP for Sheffield Hallam from 1997 to 2005 and is chairman of the Power of Information task force.

All three peers were announced following the general election as part of a list of 56 new members of the Upper House.