Plebs 1 Toffs 0

[aeolium]

I'd certainly be prepared to believe that there were inaccuracies or discrepancies in a police officer's account of an incident, but "pleb" seems such an unlikely word for a police officer to invent. If it were an insult in more common usage, then perhaps...

[John Shelton]

When the police told lies to trap UK Uncut protestors who were briefly occupying Fortnum and Masons you thought it a perfectly reasonable thing for them to do, scottycelt.

Since Mitchell is a politician I'm sure the whole affair is politically motivated. I'd guess arresting someone powerful would have been a risky thing to do (more trouble than it's worth). If he'd been an ordinary citizen he'd maybe have got the 'watch me push my weight around' treatment, and if he'd been the kind of person to attract greater police attention it would perhaps have gone further than that. None of the above is controversial, surely?

The business of the police and leaking to the press is very nasty. Remember the murder of Joanne Yeates and the stuff that appeared in the press about her landlord, Christopher Jefferies? http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/22eac290-e...#axzz29pJXKflH

[gurnemanz]

There's a danger, as I see it, of us getting to a position where people are tried and convicted outside the law by the police and the media.

Very valid points, cogently made. The answer is surely: politics. Though it is clearly a danger it is not one we are "getting into" but twas ever thus. Human beings pursuing political ends have always resorted to cunning, expediency, deviousness and deceit as illustrated by Machiavelli, Shakespeare and The Thick of It.
Enobarbus comments sarcastically on the machinations going on around him in Antony and Cleopatra. "That truth should be silent, I had almost forgot".

[Bryn]

Just thought folk here ought to be reminded of this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8902770/Swearing-at-police-is-not-a-crime-judge-rules.html

[Frances_iom]

I'd certainly be prepared to believe that there were inaccuracies or discrepancies in a police officer's account of an incident, but "pleb" seems such an unlikely word for a police officer to invent. If it were an insult in more common usage, then perhaps...

my own guess was 'plod' misheard

[amateur51]

Mitchell was lucky not to be tasered!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/oct/17/police-taser-blind-man-stick?newsfeed=true

[scottycelt]

When the police told lies to trap UK Uncut protestors who were briefly occupying Fortnum and Masons you thought it a perfectly reasonable thing for them to do, scottycelt.

Since Mitchell is a politician I'm sure the whole affair is politically motivated. I'd guess arresting someone powerful would have been a risky thing to do (more trouble than it's worth). If he'd been an ordinary citizen he'd maybe have got the 'watch me push my weight around' treatment, and if he'd been the kind of person to attract greater police attention it would perhaps have gone further than that. None of the above is controversial, surely?

The business of the police and leaking to the press is very nasty. Remember the murder of Joanne Yeates and the stuff that appeared in the press about her landlord, Christopher Jefferies? http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/22eac290-e...#axzz29pJXKflH

I don't condone 'police lies' any more than I support the 'right' of a poltically-morivated organisation to occupy and disrupt the business of a third-party.

As for Mitchell it is hard to find much sympathy but I do find it a bit hard to swallow the Police Federation line about the issue of 'integrity' as if no police officer is ever capable of exaggerating and/or quoting his/her own words rather than the actual ones used by the accused. I'd have thought we might have been in agreement about that at least.

I couldn't agree more with you about general police 'leaking to the press' or the disgusting and disgraceful treatment handed out to the wholly innocent Chris jefferies. Both the police and press involved in that disreputable affair should hang their heads in shame, as it could have been enough to drive the poor man to suicide.

[teamsaint]

Very valid points, cogently made. The answer is surely: politics. Though it is clearly a danger it is not one we are "getting into" but twas ever thus. Human beings pursuing political ends have always resorted to cunning, expediency, deviousness and deceit as illustrated by Machiavelli, Shakespeare and The Thick of It.
Enobarbus comments sarcastically on the machinations going on around him in Antony and Cleopatra. "That truth should be silent, I had almost forgot".

I guess it partly come down to which people.

presumably AIC is concerned because its an high up government person. (Maybe I have misinterpreted his post).

I wouldn't lose too much sleep over mitchell. He knows the game he is in. They play the game, and those with the power will ALWAYS sacrifice somebody if need be.They get the rewards, they take the knocks. Even dave might be sacrificed if push came to shove.

Trial by media and unaccountable police actions.....not news to those lower down the pecking order......

[BBMmk2]

Seems like this chap will be coiming backi at somepoint though! yuk!

[kernelbogey]

Seems like this chap will be coiming backi at somepoint though! yuk!

To thrash the members of the 1922 Committee after Cameron fails to win a majority in the next election. Perhaps .

[John Shelton]

a poltically-morivated organisation ....

Is a politically morivated organisation an organisation obsessed by MORI polls?

As for Mitchell it is hard to find much sympathy but I do find it a bit hard to swallow the Police Federation line about the issue of 'integrity' as if no police officer is ever capable of exaggerating and/or quoting his/her own words rather than the actual ones used by the accused. I'd have thought we might have been in agreement about that at least.

My sources tell me this is the case, so we are indeed in agreement.

[Dave2002]

Just thought folk here ought to be reminded of this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...dge-rules.html

Arguably better than p****g on a police car, or worse, while being interviewed.

[Stillhomewardbound]

I thought Mitchell was meant to be a seasoned politician ie. someone who exercise canny judgement. Ultimately, he didn't have to resign, except for his stand on whether he called the police 'plebs' or not. But imagine if a recording came to light that showed that he had not used that 'pleb' word, his conduct, without the word, appeared to be sufficiently obnoxious. Sufficient for a fulsome apology, that is. No more. But then he was daft enough to quibble over the verbiage. Rather like the accused murderer before the judge who protests that the charges should be dropped because he's accused of stabbing his victim three times when he managed to kill him on the first go.

[Petrushka]

I thought Mitchell was meant to be a seasoned politician ie. someone who exercise canny judgement. Ultimately, he didn't have to resign, except for his stand on whether he called the police 'plebs' or not. But imagine if a recording came to light that showed that he had not used that 'pleb' word, his conduct, without the word, appeared to be sufficiently obnoxious. Sufficient for a fulsome apology, that is. No more. But then he was daft enough to quibble over the verbiage. Rather like the accused murderer before the judge who protests that the charges should be dropped because he's accused of stabbing his victim three times when he managed to kill him on the first go.

It is indeed baffling that a seasoned politician should have let this matter drag on to the point of resignation. Most of us have the experience of opening our mouths a bit wide in the heat of the moment and saying something we later regret. And that same experience tells us, or should, that it's sometimes better to own up and apologise even though you know you didn't do what you have been accused of. Life goes on.

I've said elsewhere that if Mitchell had simply owned up and apologised the whole thing would have been a non-story that same weekend.

Is pleb now a worse 4 letter word than f**k? The whole thing is laughable really isn't it?

[kernelbogey]

Context is all. Rugby-educated member of a cabinet widely pilloried as a bunch of out-of-touch public-school toffs insults a copper who wouldn't let him cycle through a particular gate.

You could make it up - but it would be less fun.