The Tavistock Square Memorial Trust have announced that Lord Blair, former commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, will deliver the 7/7 memorial lecture on Monday 1 July, from 6 pm. The lecture will take place in the Great Hall of the British Medical Association, BMA House, Tavistock Square.

If you would like to attend please contact Philip Nelson on 07771 953959 or via email at philip.nelson@tavistocksquarememorialtrust.org

Lord Blair was the officer commanding the Metropolitan Police on 7/7 and the weeks and months that followed. As well as paying tribute to the victims of the atrocity of 7/7, he will reflect on all of the events of that bitter summer, on its heroes and villains and the responses of the public, of commentators, politicians and the police. He will seek to explore the lessons learned, and give his views on what was done right and wrong and what we will do differently now as a result. Against the poignant backdrop of the Boston Bombings, after which their police chief made public the fact that he had learned much from the Met’s counter-terrorism experience,  Lord Blair is uniquely placed to provide an analysis of what were London’s darkest days since the end of the World War II.

‘ I am honoured to be asked to follow the excellent presentation given last year by Helena Kennedy and hope that I can live up to her faultless delivery. Perhaps the best summary of what I intend to say would be to ask whether the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, was right to say in August 2005 that ‘the rules of the game have changed’? Did they? Have they stayed changed? Are they right now?

The lecture series was conceived to provide a lasting positive remembrance to those who lost their lives across the four sites, and to the survivors and witnesses and the emergency services. It addresses themes of humanity, tolerance and the human cost of conflict, with the invited speakers specifically chosen for their authority, experience and activity in these fields.

The inaugural lecture was delivered by Helena Kennedy QC, Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws in July 2012.

7/7 Memorial, Tavistock Square

 Since 7/7 there has been a growing body of support for a memorial in the location most closely associated with the bombings/attacks and which had originally been chosen as the site for the national memorial.

The Trust is currently developing proposals for a new site- specific memorial in Tavistock Square and needs to raise a sum of £12,000 before the lecture in order to complete Phase 1.

Those interested in supporting this area of our work can donate by visiting:- http://www.tavistocksquarememorialtrust.org/donate.html