Tory MP SLAMS Soldier F protestors as being hijacked by ‘FAR-RIGHT’

MP for Plymouth Moor View, Johnny Mercer, is a former soldier turned politician. He is amongst a group of MP’s jockeying for either the leadership or a senior role come the demise of Theresa May. Mercer was involved in the affair that saw respected academic Sir Roger Scruton sacked from his government post over the use of ‘racist’ language.

Mercer since admitted that he was misled by the selective tweeting of the journalist concerned and did not thoroughly look at the interview or the comments made by Sir Roger before calling for his sacking. This has led to much derision of Mercer among High Tory thinkers such as Douglas Murray and James Dellingpole.

Now in an article for the Sun he has accused the veterans marches of being hijacked by the ‘far-right’ that he describes as UKIP and other organisations using it for political means. You can read below fully what Mr Mercer had to say:

Over the Easter recess there was a Veteran’s March in London. It was fantastic to see so many of our Country’s finest on the streets demonstrating the level of hurt the Veteran’s community feels by the outrageous prosecutions of our Veterans from service in Northern Ireland.A great deal of the anger was directed at Parliament. I understand this; but I would also urge caution in this regard.Many in that place have struggled for years to end this farce, and it would be wrong to conflate inaction by the executive (Government Ministers), with the relentless efforts of others in Parliament to bring this to an end.

In this period of great national disquiet over Brexit there are a number of imposters arriving on the political stage claiming to ‘have the backs’ of Veterans.They will conflate the feelings of betrayal by this Government to deliver Brexit – which I share, with a similar state of betrayal when it comes to our Veterans.They will then hijack this – as with any other great national cause – for their own political aims, which can be completely at odds with the values and standards we – as servicemen and women – shared when we wore the uniform.I was not able to be at the march on Good Friday. I am delighted that the Veteran’s cause – one I specifically came into Parliament to address – is now so visceral.

The betrayal of our finest people through the historical allegations process is something that has caused me a great deal of personal reflection as to whether I could continue to remain a member of my political party which was facilitating this abhorrent process to take place.When I was fighting this scourge with just a handful of backbench MPs in 2016 against the Iraq Historical Allegations Team – before the widespread knowledge of this process became apparent, I made the calculation that it was better to fight it from my position within Parliament, than outside it. But make no mistake: we veterans are in this together: inside and outside parliament, serving or retired.

It is as abhorrent to myself, Richard Benyon and Leo Docherty (who have both brought bills forward to try to end this farce that have not been supported by this Government) as it is to anyone else.

I have counselled the suicidal soldier on the telephone going through the Iraq Historical Allegations process; I have shed blood with my fellow warriors on operations that are now being investigated. It has to end. But it cannot end if we allow the cause and the message to be diluted or hijacked by others for political gain. I cannot in all conscience, share a stage with the leader of UKIP, who actively encourages the presence of Tommy Robinson in his ranks. I cannot share platforms with those who promote far-right rhetoric dressed up as patriotism.

Almost everything the far-right stands for, we fought against in wars across the globe.I cannot now embrace them at home, in the hope that that they somehow can lance this boil of historical prosecutions for our servicemen and women, particularly when they quite simply won’t.In this war – for it is a war – against Historical Prosecutions, we must be ruthlessly focussed on the end-state: the ending of this process. Nothing else. No personal agendas, no mis-appropriated anger on a particular case (for there will always be another), but on simply ending this abhorrent process.

We cannot be distracted by empty promises (from my Government), emotional rhetoric (from other parties) or by those who seek to hijack our cause for their own political ends, which will – in the end – completely differ from our own.The power to change this lies with the executive, and the executive alone. I regret deeply that the Prime Minister has made a conscious decision not to affect this process. I have urged her privately, publicly in the house of commons, and at every single opportunity I have had to intervene.

She has bottled it, and it breaks my heart. The sad truth is that if there was another Prime Minister, this situation would not be progressing as it currently is. I would urge fellow veterans to eschew the angry rhetoric of the far-right – it concerns me greatly.

The reality is that when we promote that rhetoric in order to win a battle like this, we lose the war because we lose people from our cause, who quite rightly take offence. And it distracts from our centralised efforts to caress, chide, shame but ultimately force whoever inhabits No.10 Downing Street to end this ridiculous betrayal.Being a veteran in this Country is a noble calling. Some have sacrificed a little, some have sacrificed a lot, but all have sacrificed some, for the freedom and privileges we enjoy in this wonderful country, so often overlooked by too many. I get that. But as big a part of our training as courage, resilience, fortitude and bravery, was humility and respect for others irrespective of colour or creed.

In the interests of clarity all major political figures were invited and Mr Batten merely took up the offer to attend. On Twitter some veterans agreed with Mr Mercer’s statement whilst others were angry that it Is some form of smear to accuse veterans of being caught up in the ‘far-right’ which UKIP vigorously deny being.

On a video on the UKIP channel Gerard Batten, UKIP leader, slammed Johnny Mercer saying that no one new he was attending therefore for Mercer to say that he wouldn’t attend because he was there was a lie as no one knew. He also criticised Mercer as being part of a Government that is allowing the prosecution of UK Troops to tale place.