There is obviously some serious issues relating to the Police in this case but would Mitchell have a lot more credibility if he actually admitted what he said rather than just keep re-affirming what he didn't say?
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Andrew Mitchell
- Thread starter drew
- Start date
I don't like the man much, but I think the answer to your question is no, not really. He has admitted swearing at them and denied calling them plebs. He has done so regularly and consistently. Personally, I don't think that knowing what the actual swear words are makes much difference. "Plebs" was always the heart of the matter - the word implies disdain and, from the mouth of a Tory, has strong class connotations, which, for Mitchell, was always going to be career terminating. It's starting to look like a cover up - 8 people arrested following the initial incident, the IPCC calling into question the honesty and integrity of the three officers who subsequently met him, and now three chief constables saying that no investigation of their officers' conduct was or is necessary. Hmmm.
supaseagull
Well-known member
I don't think that many people really care about this news story. Andrew Mitchell was wrong for doing what he did and if the police have fibbed about what happened then naught them. However the utter waste of taxpayers money already thrown at this unimportant non event is pretty obscene and a complete waste.
Blues Rock DJ
New member
Seasidesage
New member
Same old lies and lack of professional dignity from our Police Force. Is anyone seriously surprised at either the outcome or the fact that the police lied to make their case, it's been going on for years...
Tricky Dicky
New member
I thought he had.
Blues Rock DJ
New member
this has dragged on nearly as long as our search for a striker.....yes, that long !
Really? So if the police lied about and incident involving you and you lost your job - you would just say oh naughty policeman.....
I disagree - I watched a C4 programme on it a while back ( possibly Dispatches ) and the fact that the meeting was recorded backs up that Mitchell has been consistent all along. I worries me greatly that three police officers are clearly lying and playing politics. It's important this is dealt with otherwise public confidence in the police ( especially senior officers ) will be further eroded. Add in the cover up at Hillsborough and how can the public trust the police at all ?
Billy the Fish
Technocrat
I know of two examples where police have lied after arresting someone for something trivial. It happens all the time.
Fibbed
??That makes it sound like naughty schoolchildren in the playground.I think it rather more serios than that.If our police force will try and stitch up a Cabinet Minister,what do you think they would try on ordinary 'Joe Public'.
happypig
Staring at the rude boys
Letting the police investigate themselves is wrong. They hold a unique and vital place in society and need to be (and be seen to be) transparent in their workings. If they investigate complaints against themselves, even when it's another force, a lot of people will be cynical.
It's rather like someone being accused of stealing and then asking their mum if they should be charged.
It's rather like someone being accused of stealing and then asking their mum if they should be charged.
Since when has police corruption been trivial ?
Agreed but I struggle to think of anyone that would have the skill set to carry out the task outside the police ? Maybe military police ?
Totally agree.
happypig
Staring at the rude boys
The skills needed are to examine evidence and come to a conclusion. It's what we ask (untrained) jurors to do every day.
The police lost a member of a deomcraticly elected government his job. Its is rather serious. A threat to everything we hold dear. I remember a few years ago, was it the police? Who invaded the house of commons arrested an MP and conficated a computer with the details of an MPs constiuants.
supaseagull
Well-known member
Sorry but you've completely misunderstood my point and are so far away from it...
I'm not saying anything about who was right and wrong,yes of course anyone would be unhappy if the allegations that were made by the Police were not true. However, what I am saying is that I do not think it's in the public interest for parliament to be spending public money on having a parliamentary enquiry to look into what we already probably know, when there are far far more important issues to be concerned about.
Obviously, if you think that this enquiry and the amount of media attention it is getting is justified then, then of course that's your opinion. However, at a time when teachers and firefighters are going on strike and people are looking at losing their jobs, do you REALLY think that Andrew Mitchell is THE most important news story around at the moment?
At its very worse, the Police attempted a Coup d'état. (Granted, probably without the intellect to realise they were doing it). So yes, very much so.