Andrew Mitchell received apologies from the Chief Constables of three Midland police forces – but not those officers accused of misleading the media over the ‘plebgate’ row.
Under questioning from MPs, Chief Constable of West Mercia David Shaw admitted that the affair had dented public confidence in the police.
But three Police Federation representatives from Midland forces refused to say sorry, despite claims that they misled the media in a deliberate attempt to discredit the Birmingham MP who lost his Cabinet job over the affair.
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The Home Affairs Select Committee is looking into the events leading up to the resignation of Mr Mitchell (Con Sutton Coldfield) from his role as Chief Whip last year.
It followed an incident in Downing Street last September when he had a confrontation with police officers who refused to open the gates so that he could cycle out.
He admits to swearing under his breath at officers – but a newspaper reported he had launched a foul-mouthed rant at police and called them “plebs”, in an account which now appears to have been discredited.
The Metropolitan Police is currently investigating whether there was a conspiracy to lie about Mr Mitchell.
Meanwhile, MPs are looking into a meeting between Mr Mitchell and three Police Federation representatives from Midland forces who were not involved in the initial incident.
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The Independent Police Complaints Commission has said that Inspector Ken MacKaill of West Mercia Police, Detective Sergeant Stuart Hinton of Warwickshire Police and Sergeant Chris Jones of West Midlands Police may have misled the media about what happened at the meeting – and might be guilty of misconduct.
A transcript of the meeting, which had been secretly recorded by a Conservative press officer, shows Mr Mitchell denied using the word “pleb” or anything similar, but during which he also apologised for telling a police officer: “I thought you lot were supposed to f***ing help us”.
But according to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the officers later told the media that Mr Mitchell had refused to explain what happened.
And this added to the pressure on him – ultimately contributing to his resignation.
An inquiry by West Mercia Police found there was no grounds for misconduct proceedings against the officers.
But Chf Const Shaw told MPs he had now “rescinded” the decision that the three officers have no case to answer for misconduct over the affair and revealed he had written to Andrew Mitchell to apologise.
He said: “It’s a profound, unreserved apology for the impact that what has happened has had upon him.”
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The senior officer went on: “Clearly the buck stops with me and I have to be accountable for a huge range of things that go on.
“It’s unedifying and it hurts the force.”
He has asked for another chief constable to be called in to review the decision not to take action against the three officers.
Asked if the incident would reduce public confidence in the police, he said: “There was a dent in confidence and there will be for some time.”
Andy Parker, Chief Constable of Warwickshire Police, and Chris Sims, Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, also apologised.
But their comments were in contrast to the approach of the three Police Federation representatives, who were also questioned by MPs – and declined to say sorry.
Mr Hinton told the committee: “We showed poor judgment in speaking to the media immediately following the meeting with Mr Mitchell. I think we are all happy to take the criticism on the chin for that.
“What we should have done is given ourselves an opportunity to debrief the meeting.”
He added: “We certainly didn’t lie intentionally.”
Mr Jones said he did not believe that they had done anything wrong.
“I’m firmly of the opinion that we did represent that meeting correctly when we emerged from that meeting. At the moment I’m not convinced that we have done anything wrong.”
Mr MacKaill stood by the initial account of what happened in the meeting.
He told MPs: “I gave what I believed was an accurate account of the meeting to the media but I subscribe to the apology that I shouldn’t have done it in the way I did. We should have considered a response.”
The officers said it had been a mistake to link criticism of Mr Mitchell to the Police Federation’s campaign against police cuts.
Mr Jones said: “On reflection I think perhaps we would do things very differently,”
Labour MP Chris Ruane asked them: “Do you not feel any pity, sympathy and compassion for what he has gone through?”
But the three officers rejected any suggestion that they had plotted together to bring down Mr Mitchell.
“I absolutely refute that suggestion,” said Mr MacKaill.