Mayor backs police in row over Tory chief whip’s rant

Boris Johnson today gave his backing to police officers who threatened to arrest Tory chief whip Andrew Mitchell during an altercation in Downing Street.

The London mayor said the warning – disclosed in the official police log of the incident – showed the “gravity” of Mr Mitchell’s conduct.

Mr Johnson’s intervention again frustrated attempts by No 10 to close down the issue after days of damaging media coverage.

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It came as a YouGov poll found more than two-thirds of voters – 69 per cent – accepted the police account that Mr Mitchell called officers “plebs” after they refused to let him cycle through the main gates of Downing Street.

More than half the 1,739 adults questioned in the online survey – 52 per cent – said they thought he should resign.

Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood last night ruled out an inquiry into the incident arguing it would serve no purpose as the officer involved accepted Mr Mitchell’s apology and did not wish to pursue the matter further.

However there was continuing anger within police ranks over Mr Mitchell’s refusal to accept the officer’s account of the incident, with the minister insisting he did not say the words attributed to him.

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According to the 442-word police log – published in full in the Daily Telegraph – Mr Mitchell called officers “f****** plebs” and told them to “learn your f****** place”.

The female officer who made the report said she warned him that if he continued to swear, she 
would have no option but to arrest him under the Public Order Act.

Mr Johnson, who has consistently argued that anyone who swears at police should face arrest, described the police action as “wholly common-sensical”.

“The Public Order Act does allow for police officers’ discretion in this matter,” he told reporters. “They’ve obviously decided not to go ahead with it, but it shows the gravity of this offence.”

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Despite Sir Jeremy’s refusal to hold an inquiry, Labour said David Cameron needed to establish who was telling the truth – the police or Mr Mitchell.

“It now looks like there is a cover-up going on and really I think both Andrew Mitchell and the Prime Minister need to tell us exactly what is happening,” shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told ITV’s Daybreak.

“I don’t think the Prime Minister can just dismiss this and try and sweep this under the carpet.”

Home Office minister James Brokenshire insisted it was possible that Mr Mitchell and the officer genuinely had different recollections of what happened.

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“I have got no reason to 
doubt the recollections of either Andrew Mitchell or the police officer concerned,” he told Sky News.

“It may well be that they can both honestly believe that their recollection of those events is as has been recorded.”