Andrew Mitchell Grill Notes
Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell joined us at The London Grill Club in January 2014. He replied to questions ranging from the effect the false accusation against him over what became known as Plebgate had on him and his family, to his possible return to government, which he said was a matter for others, possible improvements in the Police Force to ensure greater accountability and that the Benefit reforms being implemented by the Government were ensuring that it always paid to work, something he thought most people agreed as being fair.
Specifically on Plebgate he said that he had been hunted out by the unregulated free press but rescued by the broadcasters, referring to the Chanel 4 Dispatches programme, who were regulated, but what chance would a kid on the streets of Brixton or Handsworth in Birmingham have of fighting back.
Refusing to move from his stance that his return to the Cabinet was a decision above his pay grade it was obvious, as it was later that day on Newsnight, that not only would he welcome such a move but that his passion lay in international development. Pushed on the prospect of one day being Home Secretary or Foreign Secretary he stood his ground as he did on whether he saw a future beyond Westminster as an Ambassador or a Governor like Chris Patten or EU Commissioner like Peter Mandleson, maintaining that it was a matter for others.