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| Andrew Mitchell asks Met chief to release Plebgate transcripts | Andrew Mitchell asks Met chief to release Plebgate transcripts |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A police officer involved in the Plebgate incident in Downing Street claimed that the confrontation could "topple the Tory government", according to an account of a Metropolitan police disciplinary hearing attended by Andrew Mitchell. | A police officer involved in the Plebgate incident in Downing Street claimed that the confrontation could "topple the Tory government", according to an account of a Metropolitan police disciplinary hearing attended by Andrew Mitchell. |
| The claim is described by allies of Mitchell as the "tip of an iceberg" of a series of texts and emails which challenge the police account of the notorious confrontation between the former chief whip and officers guarding the Downing Street gates in September 2012. | The claim is described by allies of Mitchell as the "tip of an iceberg" of a series of texts and emails which challenge the police account of the notorious confrontation between the former chief whip and officers guarding the Downing Street gates in September 2012. |
| Mitchell has written to the Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, to ask him to release the full transcripts of a series of disciplinary hearings into the conduct of seven Met officers involved in, or linked to, the incident. | Mitchell has written to the Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, to ask him to release the full transcripts of a series of disciplinary hearings into the conduct of seven Met officers involved in, or linked to, the incident. |
| In his letter, Mitchell seeks to highlight the significance of some of the evidence when he writes that one of the officers in Downing Street on the night of the confrontation was quick to see the political significance of it. | In his letter, Mitchell seeks to highlight the significance of some of the evidence when he writes that one of the officers in Downing Street on the night of the confrontation was quick to see the political significance of it. |
| The officer sent a text on 21 September, two days after the altercation and on the same day as the incident was revealed by the Sun, to say: "I can topple the Tory government." | |
| Mitchell says in his letter that the political nature of the incident was highlighted when an officer wrote after the incident that "the Fed need our help", referring to the Police Federation. | Mitchell says in his letter that the political nature of the incident was highlighted when an officer wrote after the incident that "the Fed need our help", referring to the Police Federation. |
| The officers union was running a highly aggressive campaign against police cuts at the time which culminated in officers campaigning outside the Tory conference a few weeks later dressed in T-shirts which said: "PC Pleb and Proud." | |
| Mitchell has told friends that he may have to sell his London home to fund two libel trials relating to the incident when officers prevented him cycling through Downing Street's security gates on the evening of 19 September 2012. Toby Rowland, the police officer who claims Mitchell described him as a "fucking pleb", has Police Federation support to fund a libel action against Mitchell. | Mitchell has told friends that he may have to sell his London home to fund two libel trials relating to the incident when officers prevented him cycling through Downing Street's security gates on the evening of 19 September 2012. Toby Rowland, the police officer who claims Mitchell described him as a "fucking pleb", has Police Federation support to fund a libel action against Mitchell. |
| The Tory politician – who was forced to resign from his government job because the row would not die down – admits that he swore in the presence of the officers, though he has consistently denied using the word "pleb". | The Tory politician – who was forced to resign from his government job because the row would not die down – admits that he swore in the presence of the officers, though he has consistently denied using the word "pleb". |
| Rowland is not one of the Met officers subject to seven disciplinary hearings – five for gross misconduct, two for misconduct – which were attended by Mitchell and his political ally David Davis. | Rowland is not one of the Met officers subject to seven disciplinary hearings – five for gross misconduct, two for misconduct – which were attended by Mitchell and his political ally David Davis. |
| In his letter to Hogan-Howe, Mitchell says the evidence which emerged in the disciplinary hearings challenges the claim in March last year that no evidence had been found that police officers lied. He writes: "Given … the clear evidence at the hearings that a number of police officers did lie, you will understand our concern about the public being misled." | In his letter to Hogan-Howe, Mitchell says the evidence which emerged in the disciplinary hearings challenges the claim in March last year that no evidence had been found that police officers lied. He writes: "Given … the clear evidence at the hearings that a number of police officers did lie, you will understand our concern about the public being misled." |
| Mitchell added: "While I wish to say that the way these hearings were run was undoubtedly fair and proper I am deeply concerned that they were held in private and were not open to public and journalistic scrutiny. As I understand it, it is within your power to release, in full, the transcripts of these hearings and the accompanying evidence so the public can see for themselves the way police officers responsible for guarding Downing Street have conducted themselves. | Mitchell added: "While I wish to say that the way these hearings were run was undoubtedly fair and proper I am deeply concerned that they were held in private and were not open to public and journalistic scrutiny. As I understand it, it is within your power to release, in full, the transcripts of these hearings and the accompanying evidence so the public can see for themselves the way police officers responsible for guarding Downing Street have conducted themselves. |
| "We were extremely surprised at the facts that were revealed about the actions of numerous police officers before, during and after the incident on 19 September 2012." | "We were extremely surprised at the facts that were revealed about the actions of numerous police officers before, during and after the incident on 19 September 2012." |
| The Met said on Tuesday night that information raised at misconduct hearings is confidential. But it added that a report into the incident in Downing Street, known as Operation Alice, would be published. | |
| It said: "Mr Mitchell is aware that we will inform him, in advance of publication, what will be released and when. There are still outstanding gross misconduct hearings. To ensure that these important hearings are not jeopardised through abuse of process we will not comment any further until they have concluded." |