The thing which struck me is that he seemed surprised (in his statement on the radio earlier) that the police fit people up, and spoke as if this was uncommon, and not normal, when I would consider the opposite to be true - the police hold the legitimate monopoly on violence, of course they are going to be corrupt.
And when you consider all of his party colleagues displaying their support of him so publicall...
oh no, sorry, they all think he's a t w at as well - by all accounts a thoroughly unlikeable person even compared to other previous whips.
ficticious police evidence is well out of order, but it seems to me there are too many things we just don't know about this
Nope.
All part of the game for Mitchell surely: as above, this is just another chapter in his career and there are still plenty of opportunities and doors open to him that are not open to brighter, more capable, more experienced but less well connected people.
As a party/chief whip of any political party, I'd have thought Mitchell should be understanding of:
1) the need to cut off a bad branch for the good of one's party even if it is the press and the public's understanding at the time which is at fault, not the individual being instructed to resign.
2) the myriad ways in which one might be stabbed in the back, and the range of people who might be holding the knife.
3) you just don't start messing with the police's funding, conditions and pensions! Has he not seen [url= http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1701920/ ]The Shadow Line[/url]? 😆
Also the man is reputed to be a proper bullying nasty piece of work, even for a party whip. The political party he happens to represent comes a long way down the list for me.
I feel sorry for the folks standing up for the police in this.
Corruptable police is a legacy that lasts a long time.
I wouldn't say I feel sorry for him but I would say the police offers concerned should be fired and Mr Mitchell should be compensated for the loss of his career earnings.
Umm an argument between a politician and the police. It's hard to know which will be lying the most in this circumstance
I agree that it is appearing more and more a case where members of the police have closed ranks and behaved negatively in order to drive their own agenda. However, I believe he admits swearing at officers - which I am sure would land the rest of us in trouble if we tried it...
It's certainly not ok because I don't like him - but I don't feel sorry for him and that is because I do not like him. I find him odious - not a feeling I limit to Conservative MP's either.
Well as one of the supposed plebs, albeit north of the wall, I have to say I am saddened and disappointed that lies have been told. A lot of us do want to do an honest job and help people despite the brush we're routinely tarred with. It may have had less impact telling the truth about the circumstances but at least it would have been an honest impact and above reproach. All at a time when we needed our Federations to stand together and fight our corner. Shame on them and hope they get what's coming fair and square as a deterrent to others in the job to lie.
