The Politician and the Policeman

So Andrew Mitchell quit last night as Tory Chief Whip. I assume the feelings of the keepers of the peace have been suitably soothed this morning.

Let's be clear. I am very much in the camp that believes that you know a politician is lying when you can see his or her lips move. Scum. Pond life. They tell you how to live your life, how much you ought to be paid and why you need to pay more tax - the latter to make up for their previous cock-ups. Meanwhile they do what they hell they want, vote their own pay rises and my favourite, try to use 'parliamentary privilege' to hid their own misdeeds and corruption. To be fair that's not all politicians. It is however most of them.

Back to Mr Mitchell then. He allegedly called an irritating job's worth - and let's be truthful, that is what he was - a pleb. He says not, he says that he told the man that "I thought you guys were supposed to fucking help us". Seems a reasonable point considering he wasn't passing through Downing Street but actually coming out of Number 10 from a cabinet meeting. Still, it appears that the policeman on duty - clearly a sensitive soul - saw things differently. And what a fuss was made. And why, you have to ask yourself, was that?

On September 12, the Hillsborough Independent Panel published its findings following the tragic events of 15 April 1989 when 96 people lost their lives at an FA cup semi-final. It concluded - and to be honest, everyone other than the Sun's Kelvin Mackenzie already knew this - that the fault lay not with the supporters of Liverpool FC but solely, completely and utterly with the police. It catalogued the whole sorry saga - altered statements, besmirching the names of the dead and perhaps worst of all, failing to try and save up to 41 people who did not die straight away.

For the next few days following this publication, the most intense scrutiny was put on the police in this country as the extent of their dishonesty and duplicity was laid bare for all to see. Then six days later, two WPCs, attending what should have been a routine house call, were gunned down and attacked with a grenade. This was an appalling and cowardly attack on two decent coppers doing their job. It was also a gilt-edged opportunity for the police to deflect all the negative publicity away from themselves. And then the real (if you pardon the pun) 'Get out of jail free card': Andrew Mitchell gets the shits with the poor policeman and suddenly, the police are the victims.

Cynical? Me? Well it seems odd that early this week, Hillsborough once again gets mentioned. It seems that there is a real chance that both retired and serving police may well be prosecuted for their conduct over the Hillsborough tragedy. And stone me, if the Police Federation doesn't resurrect Andrew Mitchell once again. He has to go. How can anyone speak to a policeman that way? Blah blah blah.

So gone he has. Fallen on his sword. To quote the Police Federation: "It is not good to see anyone fall from public office but the decision by the Prime Minister to accept Andrew Mitchell's resignation seemed almost inevitable. Andrew Mitchell has apologised to our Metropolitan Police colleague and our colleague has accepted the apology. We hope this matter is now closed." Funny how an apology wasn't deemed good enough last week to close this matter. Still, it'll be interesting to see the sensitivity of the police at work once the prosecutions begin.