16.20 Friday Although it was time to turn my attention to other concerns my day commenced with checking on media reaction to the action of the Independent Police Complaints commission to make public the action of three Chief Constables to effectively over rule the conclusion of their investigation officers that three senior officials of the Police Federation in the Midland should face a disciplinary hearing because they had lied to the public through the media about a meeting that has taken place with the then cabinet Minister and Chief Whip of the Conservative led Government a year ago because they and their association wanted to bring him down as part of their campaign against government measures to control expenditure on the police and bring about fundamental changes to pensions, pay and conditions of service.
Last night I had stayed up beyond my usual bed time first to watch Question Time on BBC1 and where the subject was raised in a question to the effect ’My mother said you can always trust a policeman, can I still do in the light of recent events and disclosures?’ None of the five participants straddling the political parties in the UK including UKIP were prepared to support the action of the three police Federation Officials or that of their Chief Constables in advising the IPCC that they did not support the holding of a disciplinary heading against any of the officials. The thrust of their comments was if they can bring down a Government Minister by not telling the truth what does that mean for the likes of you and me and how will judges and juries be able to judge these men if are require to give evidence in any court in the futures as they may have been doing since their statements to the media a year ago? The also made reference to the other implications of the situation for all policeman in the future given what happened in relation to Hillsborough and a number of individual cases where individual have been gunned down and no action taken those who made mistakes, acted inappropriately or worse.
The programme was followed by This week with the return of Diane Abbot after being told she was no longer required as a Shadow Minister by Mr Miliband and which understandably was her event of the week while Michael Portillo is was the backing down by the Republican party which would otherwise had meant the USA government from defaulting on its debt a massive 17 trillion which is the same as the national product which is surprising in the country supposedly against big government and where incidentally the debt is being held to a great extent by the Chinese government. Failure to climb down by the Republicans would have caused financial havoc across capitalism and which now again means throughout the world.
Again there was unanimity among the team echoing everything that had been said at Question Time. Next tonight there is the radio version. Earlier today I went through the available media except for the Times which requires payment to do so. The Telegraph confirmed that in addition to the words of the Home Secretary and Prime Minister, Nick Clegg Liberal Democratic leader and Deputy Prime Minister added his condemnation saying that Mr Mitchell had every right to feel aggrieved. The Telegraph then emphasised he various points in the transcript of the meeting, their response and the position of the IPCC no different from what I have previously recorded.
In their on line written report on the situation Channel Four added the information that former Home Secretary Jack Straw an admitted friend of Mr Mitchell, stated that it is lamentable that Mr Mitchell has been the victim of unacceptable behaviour by some police officers, a wrong compounded by the woefully inadequacy of the police investigation into this misconduct.
The Channel also mentioned what I regard as the extraordinary behaviour Commissioner Bill Longhorne from West Mercia appears to have taken a position without being aware his boss was party to changing the position of the force when he demanded a meeting with the Home Secretary claiming the IPCC was not being Independent and in this he was supported by the Chairman of Police Federation Steven Williams who questioned the role of the IPCC while a statement issued on behalf of the three Chief Constables pointed out that they had initiated the investigations because of the public interest and that Mr Mitchell has not made a complaint to them about his treatment by the officers concerned. This therefore was likely to be the thrust of their Defence before the Commons Committee, but given the media response and condemnations since then it will be interesting to see if they now change their Tune. The Sunday papers are also going to be a key factor.
The Guardian quoted David Davies rebuking the police saying they do not seem to understand that the law is law. Obeying the law and enforcing the law happens to be their job.
The Mail on line has described the report of the OPCC as devastating. This Week took the opportunity to raise concerns about police accounts of what happened in relation to Charles de Menzes, newsvendor Ian Tomkinson and the police account at the on going Inquest on the killing of Mark Duggan by the police,
The Evening Standard Police Commissioner of West Midland also appeared to have joined the police club unquestioningly accusing Minister of being in Westminster club out of touch with the rank and file in the police./I thought the Commissioners were appointed to represents the interests of the public and not the Police.
I also came across a piece in the Economist about a meeting with one of the staff Bageot who met Mitchell after he resigned to talk about his interest in International Development when he insisted on saying repeated that he had used the expression pleb which he was being accused of and how effected the man appeared to be having lost a stone in weight because of all the publicity surrounding him over the previous month.
The story was also covered by the regional press with the Birmingham Mail who adopted amore neutral tone in their language but also quoting Keith Vaz chairman of the Home Affairs Committee expressing concern at the action of the Chief Constables and that it was clear the officers should face disciplinary action. So as I say it is difficult to see what the Chief Constables and the Chairman of the Police Federation can now say which will change with can be expected to be a united Committee wanting to hear them apologise and change their decision.
The Spectator article reminds that it was the Sun who headlined the Plebs allegation followed up by the Police logs and the witness to wrote to his MP only to turn out to be a policeman who was never in Downing street when the incident happened. There were no other members of public shocked as was also stated. The police have taken months to complete their investigation which is now with the Director of Public prosecution so the whole matter will be aired again in the courts is as expected he decision is taken to prosecute. This saga will go on.
I have had one good exercise session and a modest lunch of a small piece of chicken in red win sauce with a small dollop of mashed potatoes and spoonful of vegetables. This evening there was a Thai cuppa soup with three dry crackers and a crab salad. I have played some games with a run of over 200 games of patience although stuck on what came at present and a new opening running of chess games to five. I also spent part of the afternoon going through some completing development files to see if could discover something missing documents and the Cineworld vouchers without success. At 18.30 it is time for some more exercise. Another good session achieved and.
I did not write more before going to bed and will therefore add aspects of what happened in the writing to day
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