Disgrace to the uniform

[Geezah]

I bet decent coppers everywhere are holding their heads in their hands over the antics of the PC who has admitted lying about the Andrew Mitchell 'Plebgate' affair.

He has offered to resign, wow, what a hardship when he's already 3 years over normal retirement age (as I understand it).

I hope that this subversive scum gets locked up for a very long time, together with his co-conspirators when they have the sense to eventually realise their game is up. Who do they think they are to undermine our democracy in this way for their own pathetic, selfish ends?

 

[Stuart Truman]

I'm torn on this. He shouldn't have lied, but his lie was that he was there and saw what happened when he didn't. The other two were definitely sworn at (Mitchell admits this much) for which any normal person would have been nicked. Instead of being nicked Mitchell wants to be reinstated.

Sorry matey, if you swear at the police, you don't deserve to be a politician, let alone a cabinet minister.

Did he call them plebs? I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised. They all think they're better than everyone else.

 

[slick]

I'm torn on this. He shouldn't have lied, but his lie was that he was there and saw what happened when he didn't. The other two were definitely sworn at (Mitchell admits this much) for which any normal person would have been nicked. Instead of being nicked Mitchell wants to be reinstated.

Sorry matey, if you swear at the police, you don't deserve to be a politician, let alone a cabinet minister.

Did he call them plebs? I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised. They all think they're better than everyone else.

Exactly

 

[Dav the wheel nut]

I'm with you on this one Stuart

 

[Carol M]

I'm with Stuart too.
There's coppers who have done much worse I'd class more of a disgrace. He definitely shouldn't have lied tho.

 

[Geezah]

What concerns me is the fundamental nature of the PCs offence. If a constable can bring down a cabinet minister, one down from the Prime Minister, what chance is their for the ordinary citizen? Are we in danger of becoming a police state? He needs to be made an example of in order to help restore public trust in all the good coppers out their. And to be punished.

I agree that the minister appeared to be out of order, I'm not sure that swearing at a police officer is an offence though a cabinet minister should definitely be above that.

Whatever your views about the government, it doesn't excuse the constables actions. Trust is the fundamental building block of policing by consent in the UK.

 

[markeg]

He didn't bring down a cabinet minister. The complaint came from the two officers on the gate, he came afterwards and submitted a statement supporting the original allegation. By removing his statement, the original offence and statements are still valid - it is those that contributed to Mitchell losing his position in the cabinet. That, and the fact that they guy is a massive arse.

 

[original guvnor]

I've sworn at a Police officer and he damn well deserved it. Anyone who goes to watch football matches away from home will know what I'm talking about. Take a bow South Yorkshire Police.

 

[sars]

Thats the point two wrongs don't make it right, both should be punished, Mitchell has and thus so should the police officers in losing rank or their jobs, if it is proven that they did in fact lie

 

[Taz]

if somebody swore at me I'd just ignore it, I'd not want somebodies life ruined over it, its just a word

 

[StevenH72]

if somebody swore at me I'd just ignore it, I'd not want somebodies life ruined over it, its just a word

x2.

There's also a difference whether he swore at them, or about them: i.e. "you're a f***ing idiot" is different from "this is f***ing ridiculous", one aimed at the officer the other at the situation. Do we know what Mitchell actually said. He denies swearing directly at the policeman but does admit using an expletive (but not calling them plebs).

 

[Stuart Truman]

if somebody swore at me I'd just ignore it, I'd not want somebodies life ruined over it, its just a word

x2.

There's also a difference whether he swore at them, or about them: i.e. "you're a f***ing idiot" is different from "this is f***ing ridiculous", one aimed at the officer the other at the situation. Do we know what Mitchell actually said. He denies swearing directly at the policeman but does admit using an expletive (but not calling them plebs).

I genuinely don't care. He's a politician, who sets himself above everyone else despite being a public servant and who should behave in an exemplary way. If the policeman had sworn at him he would have gone out of his way to see him on the street.

He should go back to civvie street and get a real job where he has to work for his money without the ridiculous subsidies on food and drink and expensed second homes.

They make me sick. (All of them, not just an anti Tory comment)

 

[TitanTim]

Embarrassing for the met and all it does is erode public confidence.

I'm sure most ministers/MPs are very hard working and do as good a job as anyone on civvy street. Its the same old story of a few rotten apples in the barrel.

Tim.

 

[Geezah]

However much you may or may not hate politicians, I would definitely rather keep our system when compared to the way other countries are run.

 

[StevenH72]

if somebody swore at me I'd just ignore it, I'd not want somebodies life ruined over it, its just a word

x2.

There's also a difference whether he swore at them, or about them: i.e. "you're a f***ing idiot" is different from "this is f***ing ridiculous", one aimed at the officer the other at the situation. Do we know what Mitchell actually said. He denies swearing directly at the policeman but does admit using an expletive (but not calling them plebs).

I genuinely don't care. He's a politician, who sets himself above everyone else despite being a public servant and who should behave in an exemplary way. If the policeman had sworn at him he would have gone out of his way to see him on the street.

He should go back to civvie street and get a real job where he has to work for his money without the ridiculous subsidies on food and drink and expensed second homes.

They make me sick. (All of them, not just an anti Tory comment)

Something tells me that you haven't quite come into this thread with full impartiality. :wink:

 

[Converted Steve]

Thats the point two wrongs don't make it right, both should be punished, Mitchell has and thus so should the police officers in losing rank or their jobs, if it is proven that they did in fact lie

Agree, and in this case he has admitted he lied

 

[NeilP]

Embarrassing for the met and all it does is erode public confidence.

I'm sure most ministers/MPs are very hard working and do as good a job as anyone on civvy street. Its the same old story of a few rotten apples in the barrel.

Tim.

What little confidence left there is might I add.

 

[markeg]

Thats the point two wrongs don't make it right, both should be punished, Mitchell has and thus so should the police officers in losing rank or their jobs, if it is proven that they did in fact lie

Agree, and in this case he has admitted he lied

Am assuming you guys mean police officer, not officers? The gate guys have been through investigation and stated to have not lied. The observing officer from outside the gate is the only one to have been shown to lie. And in that case, I agree, he should lose his job and be prosecuted for falsifying evidence.

 

[sars]

I believe that there is some doubt over the truth in the actual statements of the other officers, a lip reading from the security cameras tells another story.

 

[markeg]

I believe that there is some doubt over the truth in the actual statements of the other officers, a lip reading from the security cameras tells another story.

Partly agreed, there is doubt as the actual interaction does not seem to be of a sufficient duration, but the lip reading appears to be a bit of a myth as there is no evidence in the Op Alice documents that supports accurate lip reading. Mitchell has admitted swearing, although he denies it was directed at the officers concerned, just at the situation. The officers have only asked to apologise to Mitchell for briefing the press following a "clear the air" meeting between Mitchell and the officers concerned, as the press were either mislead or given insufficient information.

So jury's out on the two gate officers vs Mitchell case for now...