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Chief whip Andrew Mitchell apologises to police Chief whip Andrew Mitchell apologises to police
(35 minutes later)
The prime minister has welcomed an apology from his chief whip Andrew Mitchell over disrespectful remarks made to police in Downing Street. Government chief whip Andrew Mitchell has apologised for disrespectful remarks to police who made him get off his bicycle as he left Downing Street.
The incident occurred after Mr Mitchell was forced to get off his bicycle as he left Downing Street, href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4549265/Andrew-Mitchell-insults-police-at-Downing-Street-by-calling-them-fing-plebs.html" >reports the Sun. "I accept I did not treat the police with the respect they deserve," the Conservative MP said in a statement.
A No 10 spokesman said the PM was "glad that Andrew Mitchell has apologised. He thinks the police should always be treated with the respect they deserve". The prime minister was "aware there was an incident" on Wednesday and welcomed the apology, a No 10 spokesperson said.
The Conservative MP was made chief whip in the recent government reshuffle. The Metropolitan Police said it had not made a complaint. Mr Mitchell became chief whip in the recent reshuffle.
The outburst by the MP for Sutton Coldfield occurred on Wednesday evening. The MP for Sutton Coldfield said: "On Wednesday night I attempted to leave Downing Street via the main gate, something I have been allowed to do many times before. I was told that I was not allowed to leave that way.
In a statement on Friday, he said: "I attempted to leave Downing Street via the main gate, something I have been allowed to do many times before. "While I do not accept that I used any of the words that have been reported, I accept I did not treat the police with the respect they deserve.
"I was told that I was not allowed to leave that way. While I do not accept that I used any of the words that have been reported, I accept I did not treat the police with the respect they deserve. "I have seen the supervising sergeant and apologised, and will also apologise to the police officer involved."
"I have seen the supervising sergeant and apologised and will also apologise to the police officer involved." The Downing Street spokesperson said: "The prime minister is aware there was an incident. He is glad that Andrew Mitchell has apologised.
"He thinks the police should always be treated with the respect they deserve."
Mr Mitchell, a former soldier, was moved from the position of international development secretary in David Cameron's first major reshuffle earlier this month.
Now government chief whip, his main responsibility is to get Conservative MPs to vote in favour of coalition legislation.