Johnny Mercer: the Tory MP going on strike
Former Army officer tells Theresa May he’s withdrawing support in protest against probes into military veterans
Conservative MP Johnny Mercer has announced he is going on strike and will not vote with the Government on any issues other than Brexit.
In a letter to Theresa May, seen by The Sun, former Army officer Mercer said that while he is not resigning the Tory whip, he is withdrawing his support until the prime minister scales back controversial investigations into former members of the British military.
“I will not be voting for any of the Government’s legislative actions outside of Brexit until legislation is brought forward to protect veterans from being repeatedly prosecuted for historical allegations,” the letter says.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Mercer’s decision poses a fresh headache for the Conservative Party, which can “ill afford to lose MPs from [the] rising generation who have been able to win marginal seats”, tweets the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.
What’s less clear “is whether anyone will even notice he’s on strike, given this government basically has zero legislative plans anyway”, quips Politico’s Jack Blanchard.
But just who is Mercer and why is he taking this action?
Who is Johnny Mercer?
Mercer became MP for Plymouth Moor View in 2015, when he won with a majority of 5,000 - despite having been told he had no hope of victory by Lynton Crosby, the election strategist in charge of the Tories’ campaign.
Motivated by the doubters, Mercer told parliamentary magazine The House that he had secured a 4.3% swing to the Tories by targeting “centre, centre-right” voters whose political inclinations, like his own, were malleable.
Since his election, he has become known for his somewhat outspoken nature. During an interview last October, Mercer said he would not vote Tory if he wasn’t an MP.
And in April, it emerged that he was being paid £85,000 a year by a company that marketed a failed bond scheme that lost savers a total of £236m.
But Mercer is perhaps best known for getting into a row that quickly went viral with a Twitter user by the name of Stephen Knight, or @Billabong1965.
The spat began over the MP’s appearance on Channel 4 reality show Hunted, before getting more personal. During one exchange, Mercer accused Knight of implying in a local newspaper comments section that “my wife was a prostitute”.
BuzzFeed News asked the Plymouth Herald which story Knight had commented on, but a spokesperson was unable to say. According to the newspaper, the post that provoked Mercer’s ire breached its guidelines and has since been deleted.
Why is he defending veterans?
Mercer, a member of the Commons Defence Committee, has repeatedly called for new legislation to prevent anyone accused of crimes linked to the Troubles in Northern Ireland from being prosecuted.
“As many as 200 former members of the British security forces are under official investigation for alleged criminal actions” during that period, according to The Guardian.
In his letter to May, the former soldier says: “As you know, the historical prosecution of our servicemen and women is a matter that is personally offensive to me.
“Many are my friends; and I am from their tribe.”
Mercer wants an effective amnesty for members of the security forces and paramilitaries - a proposal that both nationalists and unionists in Northern Ireland have criticised.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - November 2, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - anti-fascism, early voter turnout, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Geoff Capes obituary: shot-putter who became the World’s Strongest Man
In the Spotlight The 'mighty figure' was a two-time Commonwealth Champion and world-record holder
By The Week UK Published
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliation
Talking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
By The Week UK Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Who will replace Rishi Sunak as the next Tory leader?
In Depth Shortlist will be whittled down to two later today
By The Week UK Last updated
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The Tamils stranded on 'secretive' British island in Indian Ocean
Under the Radar Migrants 'unlawfully detained' since 2021 shipwreck on UK-controlled Diego Garcia, site of important US military base
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
David Cameron resigns as Sunak names shadow cabinet
Speed Read New foreign secretary joins 12 shadow ministers brought in to fill vacancies after electoral decimation
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published