Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell’s political career is hanging in in the balance as he faces calls to quit after being accused of calling No 10 police officers in central London “plebs”.
Police suggested the Tory enforcer was close to being arrested after allegedly shouting “learn your f****** place” when he was stopped from cycling out of Downing Street’s main gates.
Although the former shadow police minister has apologised for not treating officers with due respect he has denied using some of the language reported.
Labour said Mr Mitchell was either accusing the member of Scotland Yard’s Diplomatic Protection Group, SO6, of lying or he must have used the foul language, potentially an arrestable offence.
John Tully, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said Mr Mitchell was warned to curb his behaviour by officers at the time of the rant and was likely to have been arrested if he had continued. There is a written record of the incident in the officers’ notebooks,” he told Channel 4 News. I understand that following his tirade to the officers he was warned and he desisted. I think had he continued he would have been arrested.”
David Cameron dodged questions about whether he planned to sack Mr Mitchell and condemned his behaviour as “wrong” and “inappropriate”.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper dubbed the reported outburst an “utter disgrace”, and questioned how Mr Mitchell could do the job of chief whip if he could not keep his temper in check. “These are appalling reports. No one should treat police officers or public servants in this way,” she said.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson was said to be “deeply unimpressed” with Mr Mitchell’s behaviour while former Conservative Party chairman Lord Tebbit denounced the comments as “extraordinarily stupid” and urged Mr Cameron to have a “heart-to-heart talk” with his new chief whip.
Mr Mitchell, who was also a minister under John Major in the early 1990s, apologised in a statement. The MP for Sutton Coldfield said: “On Wednesday night I attempted to leave Downing Street via the main gate, something I have been allowed to do many times before.
“I was told that I was not allowed to leave that way. While I do not accept that I used any of the words that have been reported, I accept I did not treat the police with the respect they deserve. I have seen the supervising sergeant and apologised, and will also apologise to the police officer involved.”
Copyright © 2012 The Press Association. All rights reserved.
Source:
http://www.ezonearticle.com/2012/09/22/mitchell-urged-to-quit-over-rant/
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