Plebgate

[Mim78]

Unbelievable story.

Did anyone not think the officers were telling the truth at the time? Even though we know police officers do lie it sounded so believable. Just the kind of thing we imagine a Tory mp would say. Now it appears they were lying about key things and so probably this as well


What are people's views?

[Chipstick10]

Am absolutely sure if it was a labour minister there would be many many more threads on here. I'm shocked ridged that there has been no outcry. I thing it's a massive story.
Remembering when it first broke I said straight away to my dh, that I didn't believe it, something stunk to high heaven.
It's terrifying IMO. Who the hell do the police think they are, fitting up a cabinet minister as pay back for the cuts.? If they can do that to a cabinet minister what the hell can they do to you and me? Very very worrying.
I'm afraid I have lost a lot of faith in the old bill lately. Hillsborough, the Lawrence's , Ian Tomlinson, jimmy Saville and so on.
They have not emerged with any credit as far as Mitchell is concerned that's for sure.

[bobthebuddha]

Yes, the silence now is a little odd, isn't it? Not. Compare and contrast:

Andrew Mitchell needs to resign - 117 messages

I would dearly like to know what the posters vilifying Mitchell then think now that it's accepted as a fit-up. Or is it a case of 'well, he's a Tory, so he must have been guilty in thought, if not deed' as I saw someone post elsewhere, believe it or not. A fit-up is a fit-up, we simply can't apply different standards, even if it fits your political opinions. We just can't.

[KnittingAndCleaning]

I agree it is disgusting, and I also can't understand why all the silence on here.

[BMW6]

I suspect there a an awful lot of cats-bum-mouths among the usual Mumsnet "all Tories are evil" crew

[lljkk]

I remember thinking it was a bit of todo about NOTHING at the time. And that was when I thought most of it was probably true. Now it's just shocking. Systematically, bit by bit, whole thing unravelled. I almost feel like cheering for Andrew Mitchell. Talk about dignity in the face of injustice.

[KnittingAndCleaning]

He has had a lot of help from TM and DC, if it takes a cabinet minister that much work to get to the bottom of corruption, it is no wonder the Hillsborough families took so long to get the truth out.

[ajandjjmum]

I'm surprised you're allowed to record a police interview without saying - and very scared to think that had he not done so, he would still be disbelieved by many now.

The police involved should be hammered for this.

[Chipstick10]

Will be interesting to see what the police constables say to the select committee today.

[limitedperiodonly]

I'm enjoying the coverage right now. Stupid bastards, aren't they? There have to be disciplinary proceedings at the very least, but serious charges of conspiracy surely have to be considered.

I suspected from the start that the police had made it up and said so on the original threads. That was not a popular view but I'm prepared to be martyred for my beliefs

I am a Labour voter and broadly soft left.

It makes no difference to me whether I agree with the person's politics or personality. Police corruption is terrifying.

I don't think it's useful to be partisan. But it's very embarrassing for anyone to admit they were wrong.

The only thing I would say in their defence is that there has been a lot more traffic one way than the other. But, I agree, lying is always wrong. Especially in this context.

Anyway, I was right. So where's that angel-face emoticon when you need it?

[HumphreyCobbler]

if this happens to an mp what on earth may happen to the average person in a similar situation? that is a truly scary thought

silence on here is similar to the damien mcbride scandal silence. all those posters who maintained their belief that gordon brown was a fine moral soul were suspiciously absent from the debate

[trish5000]

I dont care what sort of politician he is. No one should get fitted up by the police.

I think I am taking more notice now than I used to , because I have more personal interest in London than I used to.

But this sort of thing, police wise, seems to be somewhat national? Awful behaviour.

[JakeBullet]

If they fabricated their evidence then I am appalled....no matter what I may or may not have said at the time. Don't recall posting but was disgusted about it.

Terrible and they need the book throwing at them.......and he had to resign. Like or loathe the man it is horrible to have something untrue banded about.

[limitedperiodonly]

Yes, it is national, because the police have been an extremely privileged public sector group for at least 30 years and now aren't.

They are angry and confused, and while I don't blame them for that, I wish they'd showed a bit more solidarity with other public sector workers over the years.

But then some animals are more equal than others.

And on a purely tactical basis, I think the Police Federation's manoeuvres are amateur hour. They'd do well to take tips from Bob Crow.

[limitedperiodonly]

humphrey I despise McBride, mostly because I think he and Dolly Draper were inept in their smears - I admit that's not the proper issue

However, political infighting is not as serious as police corruption, which is what this is. And there are far worse cases that I'm not going to list because it would be boring, but I will if you want. The Mark Duggan shooting gives me pause, even though I'm sure I wouldn't like him. I really can't understand how that gun ended up being found over a fence, but everyone seems to be accepting that so far.

The astounding thing in this case is that it's so petty, yet with such serious consequences - you don't like someone but you're prepared to destroy his career and reputation and are in a position to do that? Who the fuck do you think you are? Terrifying.

[limitedperiodonly]

Also, I hate Keith Vaz. Nasty; self-serving; of questionable ethics.

But I hate the Police Federation blunderers more for making his questioning seem right.

Go Keith. It chokes me to say that. More than it choked me to say: 'Go Mitchell.'

[Chipstick10]

Not looking good so far IMO. From where I'm sitting I think MR Mitchell did give an account of himself.

[Oblomov]

Is he going to be re-instated?
He should be, surely? Why hasn't he been already?
Will he receive financial recompense?

[limitedperiodonly]

That fiction that the Police Federation isn't a union is about to be blown away.

[deepfriedsage]

Why do we as tax payers fund this organisation? They appear bigger crooks than those they are paid to protect the public from.

[limitedperiodonly]

oblomov I think he got a very comfortable consultancy outside Government recently. And why not?

He seemed to have been badly treated by the Number 10 machine.

[deepfriedsage]

Chris Jones uses distracting tactics, the other two are better at misleading as they call it now?

[Tabby1963]

Sadly, I was not a mn member at the time of Plebgate or I would have written in support of Andrew.

It was always very fishy because he admitted to swearing at the police when they stopped his exit from the gate, but he very definitely denied saying the "pleb" phrase consistently.

It was such a minor matter but I was concerned when he actually lost his job over it.

I was very happy when the enquiry was launched and hope that today he finally gets to see justice of sorts.

I speak as a labour supporter of many years standing, and I don't care what party Andrew supports. He was badly wronged by the police force and they cannot get away with it yet again.

[deepfriedsage]

Now the transcript is wrong, he denies it was about TM.

[limitedperiodonly]

Why do we as tax payers fund this organisation?

deepfriedsage I don't understand.

As taxpayers we fund the police. Which I'd say is good.

But I'm not sure where the Police Federation's funding comes from. It's a union, though many people have argued on threads with me that it's not.

It is. Ner.

I guess it comes from individual police officers. But good point, where does it come from?

I'm a union member and have no problem with unions funding the Labour party. That's how it started and I'm proud to continue that tradition.

But I agree, where's the Police Federation's money coming from, and where's it going?

[deepfriedsage]

I actually am at a point now after this and Hillsborough questioning why we fund these police forces who employ these individuals who behave as they have. I am disgusted. These individuals are paid to protect thepublic including AM and they behave like criminals, only they are worse as they have power and are in positions of trust.