Video: David Cameron praises Andrew Mitchell's response to 'plebgate' David Cameron praised Andrew Mitchell's "calm and rational" response to the plebgate affair today in another hint that the former chief whip could be set for a comeback. Andrew Mitchell was accused in September of swearing at police officers on Downing Street, and calling them plebs, a word he strongly denies using. The Prime Minister said Tories had "a lot of sympathy" for their colleague's situation. He also disclosed that he met Mr Mitchell in Number 10 on Monday - the day before Channel 4 News aired allegations that a serving policeman posed as a member of the public and falsely claimed to have witnessed his now notorious spat in Downing Street. Mr Cameron's comments, made to journalists during a pre-Christmas visit to troops in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, came as the police continue to investigate the possibility that the ex-Cabinet minister was the victim of a conspiracy.