Andrew Mitchell needs to worry about his own team, not Labour’s £1,000 fine threat

Determined to keep the Andrew Mitchell story alive for as long as possible, Labour confirmed this morning that next week’s Opposition Day debate will follow the party’s call for Andrew Mitchell to receive a £1,000 fine for his outburst by the gates of Downing Street and debate police cuts. The idea is to highlight the ‘double standards’ line that Ed Miliband pushed yesterday at PMQs: while swearing at a police officer would lead to ‘a night in the cell for the yobs, it is a night at the Carlton Club for the Chief Whip’.

As James reported last night, the 1922 Committee was largely warm towards the chief whip, with only five MPs speaking out against Mitchell in the end. Some senior MPs accuse colleagues of failing to realise that this isn’t a real crisis for the party and therefore being too voluble in public about it, while others are relieved Mitchell is staying as they think it allows them to continue voting as they please on certain issues.