Andrew Mitchell: Posh and Plebs

Funny how an encounter so seemingly innocuous or minuscule  can morph into a monster. On that fateful day when Andrew Mitchell tried to ride his bicycle through the gates of Downing street but was asked by the Police to use the side gates much to his displeasure, so much that he let them know what he thought of them in time honoured fashion, he would never have imagined those words expressed in a fit of fury would seal his political career.

What grates with people mainly is the expression `Plebs` allegedly hurled at the hapless police officers just doing their job. This appears to be the main plank of the argument for him to be relieved of his post. Personally, I have issues with his use of the proverbial against the officers more than anything else and his subsequent denial that he did actually called them plebs. Most people wouldn't even know what the word `Pleb` denotes these days. What does it mean to be a pleb? What ratio of the UK census would be in the pleb bracket? You do the maths then tell me if you aren't in good company. Only a twat would go around calling people plebs in 2012. There you go. On all probabilities I believe Mr Mitchell did call them that. Offering a partial apology for his conduct while denying ever calling the officers plebs means the Police officers are liars. We all know that wilfully giving a false statement to the Police is a criminal offence. So for Mr Mitchell to contradict the official version of events is putting the Police in an unsuitable position indeed. A fact not lost on the Police Federation who vehemently called for him to be sacked.

Given the nature of his brief as a Chief Whip of course having the utmost respect of fellow MPs is crucial. Having being found to be so petulant and lets face it idiotic does not help at all. I for one thought he was going to ride this one out. But he didn't. Was he pushed? Did he jump? We don't know. All we know is that a stop( or coma) has been put to an otherwise illustrious political career. Like I always say, let this be a warning to other politicians