SIR IAN BLAIR received an unprecedented written warning from his bosses last night after being forced to make a series of humiliating apologies for secretly recording telephone calls.

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police admitted taping six calls involving Lord Goldsmith, QC, the Attorney-General, three senior members of the Independent Police Complaints Commission and a journalist.

Britain’s top policeman apologised to Lord Goldsmith, Nick Hardwick, chairman of the IPCC, and Ian Katz, a journalist on The Guardian who worked on a profile of Sir Ian.

Sir Ian has been issued with the written warning by the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA). Last night Home Office sources denied that the Prime Minister has intervened to ensure that Sir Ian remained in his post. Whitehall sources said that once it was clear that the recordings were not routine ministers had “calmed down”.

Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, said that Sir Ian has his “full confidence”, adding that he considered the matter closed.

But Sir Ian returns to his £230,000 job at Scotland Yard today from holiday with speculation among MPs that he is clinging to his job by his fingertips. The Times has learnt that officials have been considering who could replace Sir Ian if he is forced to go. The IPCC inquiry on what Sir Ian said publicly about the shooting of Mr de Menezes will report next month and could force the commissioner to resign.

The calls with Mr Hardwick and two other IPCC officials were made during a row over who should investigate the shooting of Mr de Menezes at Stockwell station last July. Sir Ian said that the recordings in July and August were made “to provide an absolute record of what was said in clearly highly sensitive and important telephone calls”.

He said he had taped a discussion with Lord Goldsmith in September over whether telephone taps should be used in court because he “thought that they would be discussing a complex issue and as he was without a note-taker it would be helpful to have a record of the conversation”.

The conversation with Mr Katz in January was an interview. The sixth call involved a recording of part of a conversation between Sir Ian and a member of his family.

After a series of consultations and talks yesterday Len Duvall, the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority, said that the recordings were “totally unacceptable and I have made it quite clear to Sir Ian in conversations and followed it up in a letter”. He added that the calls were not a resignation issue “at this stage”.

Paul Stephenson, the deputy commissioner, said: “It is quite clear to everybody that the commissioner does regret the unfortunate recording of these telephone calls.”

Asked if the commissioner had the confidence of his management board, Mr Stephenson said: “I have every reason to think that every member of the management board has every confidence in Sir Ian Blair.”

But the Prime Minister’s spokesman gave Sir Ian only tepid support yesterday, saying merely that the policeman had Tony Blair’s “full confidence” and that the incident was closed. On other occasions Downing Street has always added praise for the commissioner’s work.

Labour and Opposition MPs also attacked Sir Ian. David Winnick, a veteran Labour member of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said politicians were losing patience with Sir Ian. “Sir Ian should learn the lesson of what has happened and bear in mind that one or two more errors, mistakes, putting his foot in it, could cost him his job.”

Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said: “Controversy appears to attach itself to Sir Ian on an almost daily basis. These reports raise serious questions about his judgment.”

An inquiry was under way last night within Scotland Yard amid fears that an opponent of Sir Ian got hold of details of the calls involving the IPCC and the Attorney-General and leaked them to damage him.

BLAIR’S BLUNDERS

February 2005 with street crime rising, Sir Ian announces crackdown on dinner-party drug scene

July 2005 declares the Met the “gold standard” for anti-terrorism hours before 7/7 suicide bombings. Later says that shooting of innocent electrician Jean Charles de Menezes was “directly linked” to anti-terrorist operation

November 2005 accused of politicising the police in lobbying MPs for tough new anti-terrorism Bill

January 2006 forced to apologise after saying he could not understand why the Soham murders were such a big story

March 2006 apologises again after admitting taping phone call to the Attorney-General, and five other calls, without consent

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