Plebgate: Downing Street Had Protested About Officers...

[Gromit]

... denying Mitchell entry to Downing Street, 15 months earlier.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/interactive/2014/jun/03/no-10-security-chief-police-ministers-downing-street-letter

The letter details an incident where Mitchell was refused entry even though the Police Officer (whose name is redacted) knew who he was.

So there was previous bad blood between the Protection Officers and Mitchell, and the Plebgate incident was not the first skirmish.

No question, but what do you make of that?

[jno]

extraordinary, tbh. The police, or this particular bunch of them, appear to be totally out of control. What gave them the notion that their job was to subvert democracy, I douldn't say.

[ludwig]

It explains why they'd want to conspire to set him up in the way they did - something I'd never really understood.

[jno]

it doesn't really explain it, it just sets it back a year earlier. It's still astonishing behaviour.

[sandyRoe]

They seem to have got too big for their boots

[Calibax]

//No question, but what do you make of that?// Is that not a question? :o)
It certainly appears that there was a grudge between Downing Street and the Diplomatic Protection Group (or at least their Federation representatives) long before 'Plebgate'.

[Svejk]

the plot thickens.

[youngmafbog]

Interesting.

I suspect this bunch of plod had got like a club, probably anti Tory and they let their politics and feelings take over the job rather than remaining impartial.

Just a few bad apples that need to be back on the beat, in say Brixton or a dodgy east London area.

[Spannerfiend]

I think most people are completely sick of hearing about this Mitchell character.

Whatever the ins and outs of it, the absolutely incredible amount of PUBLIC MONEY that's been thrown at it is nothing short of scandalous.
All over a bike and bad temper.....Gawd help us.Why don't they ALL GROW UP.

[ChillDoubt]

Whatever the ins and outs of it, the absolutely incredible amount of PUBLIC MONEY that's been thrown at it is nothing short of scandalous.
-------------------------
But it's a piffling amount compared to the cost to democracy for the Police to feel they are able to act in such a manner with impunity, then lie about it.

[Svejk]

I think you're missing the point, spanner.

[retrocop]

ymfb.
Not a good transfer move to Brixton.If these DPG officers are accused of "fitting up" Mitchell then Brixton would be the last place to send them.The ethnic majority in Brixton seem to have a propensity in accusing the police there of picking on them or fitting them up at the drop of a helmet.

[Gromit]

Mitchell admitted he swore at the Officer who refused to let him out of the gate. We now know that there had been an earlier attempt to sort out his access through the Protection Officers superiors. What has been portrayed as Mitchells arrogance and bad temper was probably frustration that 15 months later he was still being victimised.

[Jomlett]

The only reason this letter sees light of day in the Guardian is to stop the Rowland/Police Federation litigation. A Mitchell ally says so in the the last para...

http://gu.com/p/3png8/tw via @guardian

[ludwig]

// it doesn't really explain it, it just sets it back a year earlier. It's still astonishing behaviour. //

Yes it is. It's incredible behaviour. When I say 'explain', I obviously don't mean justify. I mean it establishes a history of antagonism between the two parties beyond the actual plebgate incident itself.

[Svejk]

I knew what you meant, Ludwig, quite right too, imo. ;)

[mikey4444]

I heard Digby Jones on Broadcasting House last Sunday morning and he made a very good point about this Plebgate affair. He said that it was truly shocking and its reverberations may be echoing for years.

The Police do indeed seem to be totally out of control, and nothing other than a root and branch change is needed to bring them into line.

[mikey4444]

I agree with Svejk Spanner. This strikes at the very heart of our democracy. We may need to clean out the Augean Stables here, but if that is what it needs, than so be it.

[Gromit]

I cannot see how PC Toby Rowland can prove Mitchell libelled him. There were just the two men present, and no audio recording exists.
It is just ones word against another. He will need to prove Mitchell uttered the word 'pleb' , which he can't.
The false and bogus 'evidence' that the police have deployed during this saga will not do Rowland any favours.