Poor Andrew Mitchell MP a one time rising star of the Conservative Party and cabinet minister who has lived up to the old well known adage "all political lives end in failure". Its a tragedy for him and of course for his benighted family. How did it end up like this? It appeared at the time like a proverbial storm in a tea cup - but that was not to take cognisance of the ruthless Sun newspaper who were after a scalp and they got one in Mitchell. Had he been less rumbustious and pedantic this would not have ended in tears, but life is now like that. A leopard cannot change it spots. What seems to have occurred is that the policeman - I was one such a constable in the 1960's in Soho - was not going to be treated with such disdain and disrespect. The judge Mr Justice Mitting came to a similar conclusion saying in summing up "it was his firm conclusion that the former government chief whip delivered a foul mouthed tirade at armed police after he was refused permission to cycle through the main gates on Whitehall". It a previous unrelated court case this was called "being economic with the truth". This denouncement was a terrible blow to all associated with this case.
Mr Mitchell's political career is now in tatters. His legal bill will be considerable, some have estimated up to £3 million. He was of course a successful banker before becoming and MP - perhaps he will return to that life?
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