David Cameron and Boris Johnson back Met chief on plebgate

 
p2 split Andrew Mitchell, the former government
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David Cameron and Boris Johnson today backed the Metropolitan police commissioner after Andrew Mitchell questioned his impartiality in the plebgate row.

The former Chief Whip is understood to have “no confidence” in Bernard Hogan-Howe after the Met chief continued to support the Downing Street police officers’ version of what happened in the dispute.

Mr Mitchell is believed to be unhappy with Mr Hogan-Howe’s stance, although he is said to be satisfied with deputy assistant commissioner Patricia Gallan, who is handling the investigation into the case.

However, senior politicians today backed Mr Hogan-Howe. A Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has full confidence in the Metropolitan police commissioner and believes the police should be allowed to carry out the investigation which is being overseen by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.”

The Mayor of London’s spokesman said: “The Mayor has absolute confidence in the commissioner. He has assured the Mayor that he is determined to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible. The Mayor has every confidence in that assurance.”

Home Secretary Theresa May added her support, and Keith Vaz, Labour chairman of the Commons home affairs committee, said: “I have absolute full confidence in Bernard Hogan-Howe.” According to a police log, Mr Mitchell called police “f***ing plebs” when they refused to open Downing Street’s main gates so he could leave on his bike. He denies using such words but admitted swearing.

Mr Mitchell says that CCTV images of the incident in Downing Street raised doubts over the police version.

The furore escalated this week when it emerged that a man had emailed Mr Mitchell’s deputy, Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP John Randall, saying he had seen the fracas. Channel 4 News later discovered that the man, who has since been arrested, was a police officer.

The revelation sparked accusations from Tory MPs of a “stitch-up”.

But Mr Hogan-Howe said: “I don’t think from what I’ve heard up to now that it’s really affected the original account of the officers at the scene, because this officer we’ve arrested isn’t one of those involved originally.”

Police arrested a second man, aged 23, in the Operation Alice investigation and have vowed to pursue evidence of a conspiracy against Mr Mitchell.

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