I won’t bow to media pressure

I am not at all surprised that my position on Plebgate has been misinterpreted as “going native”. I challenge anyone to find a word that I have said defending what happened in Sutton Coldfield. A great deal of reputational damage has been done to police in general and Andrew Mitchell is entitled to an apology from the officers.

That is one half of the reputational problem. The other half is down to the very poor way in which the Independent Police Complaints Commission conducted this investigation. They supervised this and should be embarrassed by it.

It is hard to think of a more high profile accusation than an attempt to unseat a cabinet minister, yet they chose not to investigate themselves. The lack of resources argument is utterly spurious.

I am working to two fundamental principles. I have insisted on full disclosure of all relevant information. That was provided for the Home Affairs Select Committee on Wednesday.

It will form the basis of a report I am commissioning from the Chief Constable. The second principle is an absolute insistence on fair process. Whatever these officers may have done or not done, they are entitled to fair and just treatment.

My insistence on not bowing to media pressure, or jibes about going native will not deflect me from that.

Ron Ball, Police and Crime Commissioner