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| Two arrests as 'plebgate' investigation continues | Two arrests as 'plebgate' investigation continues |
| (10 days later) | |
| Scotland Yard detectives investigating the "plebgate" saga made a second arrest on Thursday of a man on suspicion of encouraging or assisting the commission of an act of misconduct in public office. | Scotland Yard detectives investigating the "plebgate" saga made a second arrest on Thursday of a man on suspicion of encouraging or assisting the commission of an act of misconduct in public office. |
| The 23-year-old man was detained in connection with claims by a police officer to have witnessed a row in September between Andrew Mitchell, then the Conservative chief whip, and police officers at the gates of Downing Street. | The 23-year-old man was detained in connection with claims by a police officer to have witnessed a row in September between Andrew Mitchell, then the Conservative chief whip, and police officers at the gates of Downing Street. |
| The claims were made in an email seemingly from the officer to his local Conservative MP, John Randall, who is also the deputy chief whip. | The claims were made in an email seemingly from the officer to his local Conservative MP, John Randall, who is also the deputy chief whip. |
| The Met, which has named the investigation Operation Alice, said both arrests had led to search warrants being executed at the homes of the 23-year-old on Wednesday, who lives in north London, and the home of the police officer, who the force said is aged 52. | The Met, which has named the investigation Operation Alice, said both arrests had led to search warrants being executed at the homes of the 23-year-old on Wednesday, who lives in north London, and the home of the police officer, who the force said is aged 52. |
| A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Officers investigating the circumstances surrounding a police officer's claim to have witnessed an incident in Downing Street in September 2012 have arrested a man on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an indictable offence on or around 14 December 2012." | A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Officers investigating the circumstances surrounding a police officer's claim to have witnessed an incident in Downing Street in September 2012 have arrested a man on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an indictable offence on or around 14 December 2012." |
| Mitchell was forced to resign as chief whip in October after an official police log claimed that he described armed officers as "fucking plebs" after they declined to allow him to wheel his bike through the Downing Street security gates on the evening of 19 September. The claims, which were repeated in the email sent to Randall, have been strenuously denied by Mitchell. | Mitchell was forced to resign as chief whip in October after an official police log claimed that he described armed officers as "fucking plebs" after they declined to allow him to wheel his bike through the Downing Street security gates on the evening of 19 September. The claims, which were repeated in the email sent to Randall, have been strenuously denied by Mitchell. |
| David Cameron voiced concerns about "disturbing" developments in the treatment of Mitchell, who made what appeared to be a friendly visit yesterday to police in his Sutton Coldfield constituency. Speaking in Afghanistan during a pre-Christmas visit to British troops, Cameron told Sky News: "We must let this proper police investigation, which is supervised by the Independent Police Complaints [Commission]– we must let them do their work, let them get to the truth. But it is very disturbing what happened, and I want them to get to the truth." | David Cameron voiced concerns about "disturbing" developments in the treatment of Mitchell, who made what appeared to be a friendly visit yesterday to police in his Sutton Coldfield constituency. Speaking in Afghanistan during a pre-Christmas visit to British troops, Cameron told Sky News: "We must let this proper police investigation, which is supervised by the Independent Police Complaints [Commission]– we must let them do their work, let them get to the truth. But it is very disturbing what happened, and I want them to get to the truth." |
| When asked whether Mitchell could return to a senior post in government, Cameron said: "One step at a time. Let's get to the truth about what happened. But I think it has been an extraordinary development, frankly, to find a police officer apparently posing as a member of the public, pretending to have been outside Downing Street at the time and then trying to blacken the name of a Cabinet minister." | When asked whether Mitchell could return to a senior post in government, Cameron said: "One step at a time. Let's get to the truth about what happened. But I think it has been an extraordinary development, frankly, to find a police officer apparently posing as a member of the public, pretending to have been outside Downing Street at the time and then trying to blacken the name of a Cabinet minister." |
| Earlier yesterday the London mayor, Boris Johnson, told LBC 97.3 radio: "Clearly, there's a serious question to answer by the member of the diplomatic protection squad, the officer concerned, who is alleged to have sent a fallacious email. That's got to be sorted out." | Earlier yesterday the London mayor, Boris Johnson, told LBC 97.3 radio: "Clearly, there's a serious question to answer by the member of the diplomatic protection squad, the officer concerned, who is alleged to have sent a fallacious email. That's got to be sorted out." |
| The Police Federation, which said some of its members had "stoked up" media interest in the affair, pledged to apologise to Mitchell if it emerges that he was wrongly accused of calling armed officers "fucking plebs". | The Police Federation, which said some of its members had "stoked up" media interest in the affair, pledged to apologise to Mitchell if it emerges that he was wrongly accused of calling armed officers "fucking plebs". |
| Paul McKeever, the chairman of the Police Federation who distanced himself from the actions of some of the federation's local branches, told Radio 4's PM programme: "I understand those who say the federation stoked up some of the media attention in relation to Andrew Mitchell. I think we can all say we could have done things better. If he has been done a calumny in relation to what happened, I will be one of the first in the queue to apologise." | Paul McKeever, the chairman of the Police Federation who distanced himself from the actions of some of the federation's local branches, told Radio 4's PM programme: "I understand those who say the federation stoked up some of the media attention in relation to Andrew Mitchell. I think we can all say we could have done things better. If he has been done a calumny in relation to what happened, I will be one of the first in the queue to apologise." |
| His remarks came after Lord Baker of Dorking, a former Conservative home secretary, expressed concerns about the conduct of the federation. On the BBC's Daily Politics programme, he said: "The police must be above politics in our country. The Police Federation decided to become a lobbying, an extremely aggressive lobbying body, determined to get a minister – a cabinet minister – because they were very opposed to what the home secretary is doing looking into their pay, pensions and early retirement." | His remarks came after Lord Baker of Dorking, a former Conservative home secretary, expressed concerns about the conduct of the federation. On the BBC's Daily Politics programme, he said: "The police must be above politics in our country. The Police Federation decided to become a lobbying, an extremely aggressive lobbying body, determined to get a minister – a cabinet minister – because they were very opposed to what the home secretary is doing looking into their pay, pensions and early retirement." |
| Friends of Mitchell believe the federation in his constituency acted inappropriately in calling for his resignation after a meeting in October. Ken Mackaill, chairman of the West Mercia police federation, who attended the meeting with Mitchell, called on him to resign afterwards on the grounds he had refused to outline what he had said. | Friends of Mitchell believe the federation in his constituency acted inappropriately in calling for his resignation after a meeting in October. Ken Mackaill, chairman of the West Mercia police federation, who attended the meeting with Mitchell, called on him to resign afterwards on the grounds he had refused to outline what he had said. |
| But Channel 4 broadcast a recording of the meeting made by a Conservative press officer in which Mitchell admitted having sworn at the officers in Downing Street. He denied calling them plebs. | But Channel 4 broadcast a recording of the meeting made by a Conservative press officer in which Mitchell admitted having sworn at the officers in Downing Street. He denied calling them plebs. |
| There were signs of growing support for Mitchell among Tory MPs. Charles Walker, a popular backbencher, spoke up in support of him at a meeting of the 1922 committee on Wednesday. | There were signs of growing support for Mitchell among Tory MPs. Charles Walker, a popular backbencher, spoke up in support of him at a meeting of the 1922 committee on Wednesday. |
| Some Tory MPs have criticised Sir Jeremy Heywood, the cabinet secretary, for deciding that the email to Randall was unreliable because it was inconsistent with the CCTV footage. But he declined to comment on the police log, which contained similar information, on the grounds that it was a matter for the police. | Some Tory MPs have criticised Sir Jeremy Heywood, the cabinet secretary, for deciding that the email to Randall was unreliable because it was inconsistent with the CCTV footage. But he declined to comment on the police log, which contained similar information, on the grounds that it was a matter for the police. |
| The prime minister offered support for Heywood. He told Sky: "In terms of the Downing Street investigation, which I take full responsibility for, it would be quite wrong to try and pin the blame on somebody else. | The prime minister offered support for Heywood. He told Sky: "In terms of the Downing Street investigation, which I take full responsibility for, it would be quite wrong to try and pin the blame on somebody else. |
| "We judged the email was unreliable, so it did not affect my judgment about Andrew Mitchell's future." | "We judged the email was unreliable, so it did not affect my judgment about Andrew Mitchell's future." |
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