Under-fire Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell has told his local newspaper that the “plebs” rows has been "blown out of all proportion" – and accused tabloid newspapers of creating a “hideous caricature”.
Mitchell has repeatedly denied claims that he police officers “fucking plebs” in nan incident at the gates of Downing Street last week, despite The Sun, who broke the news, and The Daily Telegraph obtaining official police logs challenging his account.
In an interview with the Sutton Coldfield Observer, Mitchell said he wanted to "draw a line" under the matter, which he suggested had been "blown out of all proportion" by the media.
He said:
I think most people who know me know I would not use words like 'pleb' or 'moron' in describing anyone. I would gently point out that I did not say the words that have been ascribed to me.
I hope my constituents and friends in Sutton Coldfield will not recognise the hideous caricature that has been portrayed in some of the tabloid press.
Mitchell again acknowledged that he "did not treat the police with the respect they deserve" and said he "apologised profusely" to the officer involved, adding:
I have apologised and I hope it's possible to draw a line under it.
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