News that all 800 members of SO6, the armed police unit guarding the UK’s political elite, are to be questioned over suggestions that – shock horror – some of them were a little economical with the truth over the Andrew Mitchell “Plebgate” affair has caused a bit of a ripple in the media.
The MP quit after a police log leaked to newspapers claimed he swore at officers and called them “f***ing plebs” when they refused to let him ride his bicycle out of Downing Street’s gates. Mr Mitchell admits swearing but denies using the word “plebs”. Last month doubts emerged about the police version of events when an SO6 officer was arrested over allegations that he had falsely claimed to have been a member of the public who witnessed the event last September.
The Met helpfully added that this investigation will cost about £64.000 and occupy 3,000 hours of police time.
Naturally Labour Party mouthpiece Daily Mirror found a rentaquote MP to sound off about wasting resources at a time of “cuts” and “police sources” (AKA the Police Federation) muttered about “witch hunts”……Labour politicians and Police Federation agitprop activists, of course, had previously milked the whole incident until the arrest of the SO6 officer when they then became strangely silent.
Some might suggest that the details of this police investigation and the accompanying press release have been deliberately designed to stir the pot again and paint the current government (which coincidentally is attempting to reform the police service) in an unfavourable light.
But that cannot be the case for we all know that every police officer is absolutely “wonderful”………
