Christ Church confirms death of Lord Blair
Ian Blair, who ran the Met Police from 2005 to 2008, was an honorary student of the Oxford college.
He started at Christ Church in 1971 to read English Language and Literature and graduated in 1974.
A statement from the college said: 'The Christ Church community would like to extend its condolences to the family of Ian Blair, The Lord Blair of Boughton QPM, who has died at the age of 72.'
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It added: "Lord Blair received a number of official honours over the course of his career, including the Queen's Police Medal for Distinguished Service, awarded in 1999, and a knighthood for services to policing awarded in the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours.
"He maintained his relationship with Christ Church throughout his life, receiving an Honorary Studentship (fellowship) in 2005 and chairing the Fabric Advisory Committee of Christ Church Cathedral from its inception in 2011 until 2023.
"He was appointed as a crossbench life peer in 2010, serving in the House of Lords until his death."
The Oxford graduate had joined the Met in 1974 and started his policing career on the beat in Soho and, as a detective chief inspector, later played a key role in identifying victims of the 1987 Kings Cross Station fire.
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