I do not always agree with John McTernan
When the Sun splashed on Plebgate there was a strange moment of unity on left and right – both agreed that the filth were fitting Andrew Mitchell up.
The former because it confirmed all their anti-police prejudice, the latter because they would always believe one of their peers over the account of – well – a pleb.
I never bought Mitchell’s story. Not just because it has been said of him that he would not easily be mistaken for a nice man.
But also because the staff on the gates of No 10 were former colleagues. I could not understand the circumstances under which a cabinet minister would bully and swear at staff.
And the strangest thing about Mitchell’s whole story was that he accepted he had sworn at the cops. To him that was perfectly okay, to me that was the clincher – it was a straightforward sacking offence.
But Mitchell successfully – well for a while at least – made it about whether or not he said ‘pleb’. Well, as we say in Scotland, he kens noo – and so do we.
At a cost of some £3m he has had what went on at the Downing Street gates made absolutely clear. It turns out Mitchell was at the time – and since – an utter cad.
And let us give three cheers for the Police Federation. Like all good unions they backed the weak against the strong and helped PC 88 literally to speak truth to power.
This is the reason why millions of ordinary British workers join a union – to even up the odds.
It is a victory for all of us to see a bullying, arrogant Tory brought low. But it is one the labour movement should particularly savour.
There is power in a union.
When the Sun splashed on Plebgate there was a strange moment of unity on left and right – both agreed that the filth were fitting Andrew Mitchell up.
The former because it confirmed all their anti-police prejudice, the latter because they would always believe one of their peers over the account of – well – a pleb.
I never bought Mitchell’s story. Not just because it has been said of him that he would not easily be mistaken for a nice man.
But also because the staff on the gates of No 10 were former colleagues. I could not understand the circumstances under which a cabinet minister would bully and swear at staff.
And the strangest thing about Mitchell’s whole story was that he accepted he had sworn at the cops. To him that was perfectly okay, to me that was the clincher – it was a straightforward sacking offence.
But Mitchell successfully – well for a while at least – made it about whether or not he said ‘pleb’. Well, as we say in Scotland, he kens noo – and so do we.
At a cost of some £3m he has had what went on at the Downing Street gates made absolutely clear. It turns out Mitchell was at the time – and since – an utter cad.
And let us give three cheers for the Police Federation. Like all good unions they backed the weak against the strong and helped PC 88 literally to speak truth to power.
This is the reason why millions of ordinary British workers join a union – to even up the odds.
It is a victory for all of us to see a bullying, arrogant Tory brought low. But it is one the labour movement should particularly savour.
There is power in a union.
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