Sir Ian Blair is right to tape a conversation with a parlimentery minister. From past reports on parliamentarians I would not trust one and would want any instructions or details recorded for safety if things needed to be verified. Ian Lister, Newport Pagnell

I'd like to know who on earth is whistle-blowing. This is far more disturbing than Ian Blair's sometimes ill-thought-out comments. If you look at the letters and articles in the newspapers his taping of telephone conversations is widely supported - included by myself. This is becoming yet another media (and insider Met) witchhunt - shame on you all! Sue Shaw, Morpeth

Yes. He's ineffective, does not understand the mood of the people, who are tired of crime, and he clearly does not have the respect of his officers. Crime is up and Sir Ian Blair's response is to seek yet another TV opportunity. Pathetic. Sarah Marquis, London

No, he should stay. It is no coincidence that the Met's first liberal commisioner has come under the microscope more than any other commissioner before him. He is the right wing's worst enemy. A man prepared to take on the right-wing press, even though slightly ham-handedly at times, a man prepared to actually take brave steps to hand the policing of London back to the people, and a man who actually believes that the police service should reflect the people of London. He has made errors and has been big enough to apologise for them so let him now get on with his very difficult job. He is the best man for London, and the best man for the job. Chris Dale, Chingford

Maybe he should go, maybe he shouldn't, but if he does, it should not be for this. After all, as the Government has repeatedly told us regarding camera surveillance systems, plans to track everyone's cars, ID cards and so on, "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear". So why is the Attorney General so upset that an accurate tape-recording of what he said was made? Is he belatedly discovering what privacy means? Name and address withheld

Sir Ian Blair has rocked the boat several times. He has certainly challenged the media in relation to institutional racism, but he, like many other police organisations, has failed to find the same institutional racism inside the police. Interestingly, other senior officers have remained rather "shtumm" about this media issue. Some of us genuinely feel that institutional racism was at the core of the Jean Charles de Menezes killing. And delaying the IPCC investigation was therefore a poor decision. In fact, one could argue that such a decision was actually part of the problem of institutional racism. The caveat of institutional and "personal" racism within the police force runs very deep, but in view of the fact that no other police chief has been so bold as Sir Ian has, then perhaps he should be allowed to continue. If he succeeds on the race issue, he will be one of a few that has genuinely impacted on race relations and policing. Sir Ian has been honest thus far and only honest debate can deal with these issues. Serjeant Raj Joshi, Leicester

There's something wrong here. Sir Ian Blair's men shoot an innocent bystander in the head, repeatedly, and then put about stories that he was dressed oddly, behaving oddly, etc - all completely untrue, all lies - and Sir Ian gets away with it. Then he records a conversation with the Attorney General and his job's on the line. One law for the rich and powerful and one for the poor, eh? Frank Upton, Solihull

Ian Blair should have gone after the Stockwell debacle. But the police reflect their political masters, so instead of resigning, he got himself in front of as many TV cameras as he could find. We have an excess of Blairs in public life. Jonathan Wilton, Singapore

There has been a campaign, especially by extremely active, overly vocal members of minority groups to remove Sir Ian Blair from his post. I challenge anyone, in any job, to stand up and show they are 100 per cent effective, 100 per cent efficient and 100 per cent blameless in their work. If a concerted, conspiratorial effort is made by people who have their own agenda in ensuring that we do not have the best possible police commissioner, they can raise doubts in anyone's mind but the truth is that Ian Blair is the man for the job, hard-working, unwavering, experienced and respected. Keith Downer, London

Yes, he should go. But not because he has taped conversations with politicians; not because he made crass remarks about the Soham murders; not because he authorised the shooting of an innocent man who had already been detained, then lied about it afterwards. No, it's because the streets of London are no safer than they were before he took charge of the Met. There's a greater threat of mugging, or gun violence, or been burgled now. He has failed at his main job; all the rest is media-friendly nonsense, which obviously takes up more of his time. He's a failure and not worth the money he's paid. Sack him. Jonathan Jones, London

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