Andrew Mitchell has just announced his resignation as chief whip following the row about his altercation with a police officer at the Downing Street gates.
His resignation letter, which you can read in full here says:
‘Over the last two days it has become clear to me that whatever the rights and wrongs of the matter I will not be able to fulfil my duties as we would both wish. Nor is it fair to continue to put my family and colleagues through this upsetting and damaging publicity.
‘I have made clear to you – and I give you my categorical assurance again – that I did not, never have and never would call a police officer a ‘pleb’ or a ‘moron’ or used any of the other pejorative descriptions attributed to me. The offending comment and the reason for my apology to the police was my parting remark ‘I thought you guys were supposed to f***ing help us’.
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