Two more people have been arrested as part of the police investigation into the ‘plebgate’ affair involving Tory chief whip Andrew Mitchell.
The pair included a 37-year-old female police constable from the unit in charge of protecting government officials and another 46-year-old woman.
Both women were arrested at their places of work and taken to separate police stations.
The arrests take the number of people held in connection with the incident under Scotland Yard’s Operation Alice to eight, including five serving police officers.
The latest police officer to be arrested is one of four that had previously been issued with a Regulation 15 notice and put on restricted duties. She is expected to be suspended later today.
Mitchell was engulfed in the row after he was accused of calling a policeman a “fucking pleb” when told to get off his bike as he left Downing Street.
The incident first came to light in front page story published by The Sun.
The Daily Telegraph later published a police log, detailing the argument and suggesting that Mitchell repeatedly swore at officers.
Mitchell says he did not use the word “pleb” and that the row was an attempt to “toxify” his party.
He is suing The Sun for £150,000 over its coverage of the affair. The Sun has said it is defending the story and will fight the claim.
Officers from Operation Alice have taken statements from all 800 officers in the Diplomatic Protection Group in a process that has taken nine months and cost more than £140,000.
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