Andrew Mitchell Andrew John Bower Mitchell ( born 23 March 1956 ) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament ( MP ) for Sutton Coldfield since 2001 . He was the MP for Gedling from 1987 to 1997 . He served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for International Development from 2010 to 2012 , and then briefly as Government Chief Whip in the House of Commons until he resigned after losing the confidence of many of his colleagues following an altercation with police . Mitchell was elected President of the Cambridge Union in 1978 . A former United Nations military peacekeeper , he has extensive pre - government experience of the developing world , and is the founder of Project Umubano , a Conservative Party social action project in Rwanda and Sierra Leone in central and west Africa , launched in 2007 . Early life and career . Mitchell was born at Hampstead in north London , the son of Sir David Mitchell , a former Conservative MP and junior Government Minister . He was educated at Rugby School , at which school the self - confessed “ stern disciplinarian ” earned the nickname “ Thrasher ” . In February 1975 , he was commissioned into the Royal Tank Regiment , serving in Cyprus during the 1970s . His commission was terminated in October 1975 , when he transferred to the General List of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve and was given seniority in his rank from 10 March 1975 . He then went to the University of Cambridge , where he read History at Jesus College . He was Chairman of the Cambridge University Conservative Association in the Michaelmas Term of 1977 . He resigned his British Army commission on 9 February 1977 after serving in the Royal Tank Regiment for eight months on a Short Service Commission . He served as President of the Cambridge Union 1978 – 79 , after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1978 , later proceeding Master of Arts . Mitchell worked for Lazard , one of the world ' s largest investment banks , where he worked with British companies seeking large - scale overseas contracts . Political career . Mitchell was the only Conservative member of Islington Health Authority ( IHA ) in north London during the 1980s , and in that capacity , he called for the IHA to make greater use of competitive tendering in the allocation of service contracts . Mitchell entered Parliament in 1987 at the age of 31 as MP for Gedling , Nottinghamshire , serving in the House of Commons concurrently with his father . In 1988 , under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher , he became PPS to William Waldegrave , who was Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office . In 1990 , he became PPS to John Wakeham , who was Secretary of State for Energy . In 1992 , under John Major , he became Vice - Chairman of the Conservative Party , and in the same year was appointed as an Assistant Government Whip . In 1993 , he became a Government Whip . In 1995 , he became Parliamentary Under - Secretary of State at the Department of Social Security , a position he held until 1997 . Mitchell lost his Commons seat with Tony Blair ' s Labour victory at the 1997 election . He was returned to Parliament at the 2001 election as the MP for Sutton Coldfield , near Birmingham . He held no shadow ministerial or organisational position under the leadership of Iain Duncan Smith , but in November 2003 , under new leader Michael Howard , he became Shadow Economic Affairs Minister . In 2004 , he moved to Shadow Home Office Minister primarily dealing with police matters . Shadow International Development Secretary . In May 2005 , Mitchell was appointed to the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for International Development . After Howard ' s decision to stand down as leader following the Conservatives ' 2005 general election defeat , Mitchell ran the unsuccessful leadership campaign of David Davis , but retained his Shadow Cabinet position under the new Leader of HM Opposition , David Cameron . In that role , Mitchell visited countries throughout the developing world to establish in detail how aid could be most effectively and fairly delivered . He visited a number of countries in Africa and Asia containing some of the worst poverty in the world , such as Sierra Leone , Ghana , Ethiopia , Chad , Eritrea , the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Rwanda , Kenya , Thailand , Cambodia and Burma ( The Republic of the Union of Myanmar ) . In many of these places , he created video reports detailing local conditions and some of the NGO projects aimed at ameliorating them . Whilst in Burma , Mitchell challenged its Government by raising evidence of systematic human rights abuses in the country , and its continued imprisonment of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi . He also emphasised the need to provide rapid and substantial aid to the victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake . " Project Umubano " . Mitchell led large groups of Conservative volunteers from a wide range of professions , including doctors , teachers , lawyers and entrepreneurs , in social development projects in Rwanda for three consecutive summers , from 2007 to 2009 , as part of " Project Umubano " , and kept a detailed diary of their activities and experiences . The volunteers focused on five areas : health , education , justice , the private sector , and a community centre construction project . In 2008 , Mitchell himself taught English to over a thousand Rwandan primary school teachers . It was during one of these trips that Mitchell and his aides are reported to have verbally abused one of the volunteers , a student journalist who had circulated a draft newspaper article she had written criticising the way the project was organised . The journalist , Lucy Kinder , claimed Mitchell texted her father , a friend from Mitchell ' s university days : " They [ his aides ] are threatening her with physical violence and I can ' t say I blame them . " BBC Gaza Appeal . Mitchell expressed support for the idea of a televised appeal for Gaza on the BBC in 2009 , a subject which had aroused much controversy on both sides of the argument . He said that , while the matter was ultimately for the BBC to decide , " We believe that they should allow the broadcast to proceed so that the British public , who have proved themselves so generous during recent emergencies in the Congo and Burma , can make their own judgement on the validity of the appeal " . International Development Secretary . Following the general election and formation of the Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition in May 2010 , he became Secretary of State for International Development . Mitchell travelled to countries in need of aid . He visited Pakistan during the floods in 2010 and returned the following year . He also visited Haiti , to see the effects of the earthquake , and Somalia and Libya in 2011 . He also addressed the United Nations General Assembly in 2010 to press the case for greater support for the developing world , strongly criticised the developed world for failing in its responsibilities towards it , and announced that Britain would double its aid contribution to Pakistan . Both in Opposition and Government , Mitchell asserted the need for transparency and value for money in British aid contributions to the developing world , with resources concentrated on the world ' s poorest and most troubled countries . During the 2011 Battle of Tripoli , Mitchell said that the UK had learned from Iraq and had laid the groundwork for a post - Gaddafi Libya . While emphasising that the transition should be Libyan - led , he said that Libya ' s allies had outlined steps to ensure a smooth transition . He added , " We have made clear that there should be no revenge attacks , " and , " Libyans have to work together for a new Libya . They should keep in place the sinews of security . The National Transitional Council ( NTC ) in Benghazi has good informal connections with security officials in Tripoli and has told them : ' You ' ve got a job , please help us keep stability ' . " He added that " Divisions between the rebels groups are overstated . The way the National Transitional Council has reached out gives us some confidence . " Mitchell accepted that a smaller aid budget might have meant fewer cuts elsewhere , but insisted that development projects also helped protect Britain . " Our security is not just provided by soldiers and tanks and fighter jets , it is also provided by training the police in Afghanistan , by building up governance structures in the Middle East and by getting girls into school in the Horn of Africa , " he said , " Those things are all part of what makes us safer . " Praise in debate . On 1 July 2010 , at the end of a debate on global poverty in the House of Commons , the Minister of State for International Development , Alan Duncan , quoted the journalist Jon Snow as having said , " Andrew Mitchell is unquestionably the best prepared Secretary of State — nobody has waited longer in the wings and everyone in the sector knows of his commitment to the sector " . Aid transparency . Both in Opposition , and later as Secretary of State for International Development , Mitchell repeatedly asserted the need for transparency in aid donations to other countries , with contributions fully accounted for and published , and the intention for Britain to lead the world in this transparency . He made clear that value for money in aid donations was of critical importance and provided a guarantee that British legislation would be amended to ensure that Britain ' s aid contributions will be maintained at 0 . 7 per cent of UK GNI ( Gross National Income ) by 2013 . He also asked former international envoy and Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown to conduct a review of the UK ' s response to international humanitarian disasters , such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake , to see whether lessons could be learned from them . Aid to Rwanda . On his final day as International Development Secretary , Mitchell authorised the payment of £16 million of previously suspended aid to Rwanda , half of Britain ' s annual aid to Rwanda . The aid had been suspended in July , along with other governments ' aid , over concerns about Rwanda ' s alleged support of the rebel March 23 Movement in east Democratic Republic of the Congo . Mitchell ' s successor stopped further aid payments as Rwanda had breached agreements , and following the publication of an United Nations Security Council investigators ' report which provided evidence that Rwanda had supplied guns , money and recruits to the rebels contrary to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1807 , and engaged directly in combat to help the rebels capture territory . The International Development Select Committee launched an inquiry into the suspending , then subsequent authorisation , of budget support to Rwanda . On 30 November 2012 the committee published its report criticising Mitchell for restoring the funding , stating " We do not understand how [ Mitchell ] reached the conclusion that support for the M23 had ceased " , which was one of the three conditions that the Prime Minister had set for the resumption of aid . " Plebgate " . In September 2012 , Mitchell was appointed Government Chief Whip in David Cameron ' s first significant Cabinet reshuffle . In the evening of 19 September 2012 , Mitchell , who had been bicycling to work , was allegedly threatened with arrest after swearing at police officers who asked him to exit Downing Street through the pedestrian gate rather than by the main gate . The official police log of the incident stated that Mitchell said " Best you learn your fucking place . You don ' t run this fucking government . . . You ' re fucking plebs . " It was also alleged that he informed police officers : " I ' ll have your fucking job for this . " The allegations became known in the media as " Plebgate " . In response to the allegations , Mitchell apologised , but disputed many of the details of the accusations , in particular that he had used the word " pleb " . He later resigned on 19 October . Subsequent to Mitchell ' s resignation , the affair returned to the news headlines in December 2012 , after new CCTV evidence was published in the media which appeared to contradict the police ' s account . Additionally , an email sent by a member of the public to their MP corroborating the police account transpired actually to be from an off - duty police officer who was not at the scene . Mitchell has stated that the CCTV footage backs up his version of events . , the Metropolitan Police have opened an investigation into the incident , known as Operation Alice . Work as an MP . Mitchell has campaigned on a wide range of local issues , from the safety of mobile phone masts to the administration of justice , and has particularly focused on local development where it appears to adversely affect his constituents . He deals with a wide range of issues for constituents , often dealing directly with government departments , agencies and other organisations on their behalf , and holds regular advice sessions for them . He also regularly visits local schools , businesses and voluntary organisations across Sutton Coldfield . He successfully brought about the restoration of Sutton Coldfield Civic Service and introduced the Sutton Coldfield Inter - Schools Debating Competition . He actively supports a number of local charities including Breastfriends , Norman Laud Association , the Sutton Coldfield Branch of the RNLI , Parkinson ’ s Disease Society , Sutton Coldfield Sea Cadets , Greenacres , and Sutton Coldfield Girl Guides . " Keep Justice Local " campaign . In 2002 , Mitchell successfully led the " Keep Justice Local " campaign across his constituency of Sutton Coldfield to safeguard the 50 - year - old courthouse ( Magistrates ' Court ) from imminent closure . He presented a petition signed by more than 5 , 500 constituents , protesting at plans to transfer the Courthouse ' s work to Birmingham . However , once in Government Mitchell appeared to have changed his views on the closure of the courthouse after a decision was taken to close it in December 2010 , although it is not clear that he necessarily did so , as his public statement did not actually endorse the decision that had been taken . He said , " We must now ensure that there ' s a widespread local discussion about the future of the site and the building . I know that our councillors are already looking at how best we can do this " . Voting record . In 1994 , as MP for Gedling , Mitchell voted in the House of Commons for the restoration of the death penalty , which measure was defeated 383 – 186 . Between 2001 and 2010 , as MP for Sutton Coldfield , his House of Commons voting record shows that he voted for limiting climate change , civil partnerships for gay couples , greater autonomy for schools , a UK referendum on the EU Lisbon Treaty , replacement of Trident , the invasion of Iraq and the subsequent Iraq investigation , and limiting pollution from civil aviation . During the same period , he voted against ID cards , the closure of post offices , both 42 days ' and 90 days ' detention without charge or trial , the DNA database , closer EU integration , the relaxation of gambling laws , Section 28 ( although in 1988 he had voted in favour ) , employment discrimination against gay people , the legalisation of recreational drugs , a fully elected House of Lords , and a ban on fox hunting . He was ranked by the Liberal Democrat Voice ( connected to , but not part of , the Liberal Democrat Party ) as one of the least authoritarian members of Parliament , scoring 3 out of 100 points for his votes between 2005 and 2010 . with a joint ranking of 542 out of 619 . Prize Winner of " Westminster Dog of the Year " Award . In 2009 , Andrew Mitchell won the top prize among Parliamentarians for the " Westminster Dog of the Year " Award , for his dog Molly . Judges said that Molly , a seven - year - old Welsh Springer Spaniel , had an " excellent condition and temperament " , that she " stood out particularly because she is the ‘ glue ’ of her family " , and that Mitchell was " an owner who shows commitment to responsible dog ownership " . 2009 expenses claims . According to " The Daily Telegraph " newspaper , which first reported the unredacted expenses claims of Members of Parliament , most claims made by Mitchell were for office expenses , but there was criticism of him among some of the British media , which reported that he had made a number of small claims for items such as a ' stick of glue ' ( reportedly costing 45p ) , and other items . Allegations of lobbying on behalf of donors . An article in " The Sunday Times " on 30 October 2010 , quoted by " The Guardian " the following day , claimed that Mitchell had pressured the Foreign Office and colleagues to lobby Ghana ( successfully ) for the lifting of a trading ban on a cocoa company , Armajaro , which had been a repeated donor to Mitchell ' s parliamentary office and also a donor to the Conservative Party . Ghana had imposed the ban as the company was believed to have been smuggling cocoa out of the country . However , when questioned by ITV News on 2 November about his role in the case , Mitchell said that he had a duty as a member of the government to respond to the company ' s requests , as it was registered as a British company , and that the government had a responsibility to promote British trade . He argued that he had seen no evidence that the Ghanaian government ' s suspicions about the company in question had been substantiated , and that the claim that he had acted improperly on behalf of a party donor was unreasonable , as the company had ceased to donate to both the Conservative Party and his parliamentary office several years earlier . Allegations of tax avoidance . In 2006 , Andrew Mitchell invested funds in privately owned firms implicated in a tax avoidance scheme . The article in the " Daily Telegraph " claimed that a subsidiary of DV3 purchased the lease on the Dickins & Jones department store building in central London for £65 . 1 million and sold it a month later to a partnership controlled by DV3 for £65 , 100 , thus avoiding stamp duty . Personal life . Mitchell is married to Dr Sharon Bennett , a GP , and has two children . He lives in his constituency of Sutton Coldfield and in Islington , London . His wealth is estimated at £2 million . He is a Trustee of the E . M . Radiation Research Trust , which conducts research into radiation emissions , from sites such as mobile phone masts . He was also a Senior Strategy Adviser for Accenture , the management consultancy and technology outsourcing company . He is also Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Vintners ' Company In 2010 Mitchell was sworn in as a Privy Councillor .