Ex-U.K. Minister Mitchell Alleges Smear Over ‘Pleb’ Row

Andrew Mitchell, former chief whip of the U.K.’s ruling Conservative Party, said that “elements” within London’s Metropolitan Police conducted a “smear campaign” against him that led to his resignation.

Mitchell quit his government role in October after the Sun newspaper reported he abused police guards, calling them “plebs” when they refused to let him cycle through the main gate of Downing Street. Writing in the Sunday Times today, Mitchell said he never used the term and that he told Prime Minister David Cameron that he had not used the “awful toxic language” attributed to him.