Editing Patrick Mercer (section)

==Political career==
===Parliament from 2001===
Mercer was first elected to Parliament as the member for [[Newark (UK Parliament constituency)|Newark]] at the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 general election]], defeating the Labour incumbent, [[Fiona Jones]], overturning a majority of 3,000 and creating a majority of just over 4,000. In the Commons, he initially served as a back-bencher on the [[Defence Select Committee]] before becoming [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] to the Shadow [[Secretary of State for Defence]]. Mercer backed [[Iain Duncan Smith]] over [[Kenneth Clarke]] in the [[2001 Conservative leadership election]]. Subsequently, he was appointed to a newly created post of [[Shadow Minister]] for Homeland Security in June 2003 after Duncan Smith became Conservative leader.

In 2004 he introduced a Private Member's Bill in response to the publicity surrounding the case of [[Tony Martin (farmer)|Tony Martin]] that proposed to give householders greater powers when protecting their property from burglary.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kite |first=Melissa |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1479776/Tories-launch-Bill-to-give-householders-the-power-to-tackle-intruders.html |title=Private Members Householders Protection Bill 2004 |publisher=Telegraph.co.uk |date=26 December 2004 |access-date=31 May 2013 |location=London}}</ref>

Mercer increased his majority in Newark to 6,464 at the 2005 general election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/constituency/1150/newark |title=Newark: Constituency &#124; Politics |newspaper=The Guardian |date=22 March 2013 |access-date=31 May 2013 |location=London}}</ref>

===Parliament from 2005===
During the Conservative leadership contest which followed the 2005 election, Mercer publicly backed [[David Davis (British politician)|David Davis]] over [[David Cameron]], [[Kenneth Clarke]], and [[Liam Fox]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://conservativehome.blogs.com/toryleadership/who_is_backing_who/ |title=Who backs who in Conservative leadership election 2005 |publisher=Conservativehome.blogs.com |access-date=31 May 2013}}</ref>

Since 2005, he has repeatedly warned against the imposition of [[control order]]s as being 'counter productive'. Citing his experience of [[internment in Northern Ireland]], as a serving soldier, he highlighted the danger of alienating populations needed for intelligence gathering.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/9150106.stm |title=BBC Newsnight, Control Orders 2 November 2010 |work=BBC News |date=2 November 2010 |access-date=31 May 2013}}</ref>

In March 2007, Mercer gave an interview to ''[[The Times]]'' in which he talked about "idle and useless" ethnic minority soldiers who had used racism as a "cover" and admitted that black soldiers in his regiment had been referred to as "black bastard" and "[[nigger]]".<ref name=BBC2007/> Initially, the Conservative Party stated that the comments were a "private matter",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2007/03/08/cameron-drops-mercer-over-race-row |title=Patrick Mercer resigns and apologises |work=Politics.co.uk |date=8 March 2007 |access-date=31 May 2013}}</ref> but soon David Cameron forced Mercer to resign as Shadow Minister for Homeland Security.<ref name=BBC2007/> Mercer publicly apologised and said "I had the privilege to command soldiers from across the east Midlands, of whom many came from racial minorities. It was a matter of great pride to me that racial minorities prospered inside the unit. What I have said is clearly misjudged and I can only apologise if I have embarrassed in any way those fine men whom I commanded. I have no hesitation in resigning my front-bench appointment."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1544893/Tories-sack-MP-who-attacked-idle-black-troops.html |title=Tories sack MP who attacked 'idle' black troops |newspaper=[[Daily Telegraph]]|date=8 March 2007 |access-date=2 June 2013 |location=London |first=Sally |last=Peck}}</ref> A black former corporal who had served with Mercer came to his defence, and the chairwoman of his Conservative Association said she was "extremely angry" that Mercer's comments had been taken out of context.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cash for questions: Patrick Mercer no stranger to controversy|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/10092624/Cash-for-questions-Patrick-Mercer-no-stranger-to-controversy.html|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=7 August 2013|location=London|first1=Holly|last1=Watt|first2=Claire|last2=Newell|date=31 May 2013}}</ref><ref name=BBC2007>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6431005.stm |title=Top Tory axed over Army race row|work=BBC News|date=8 March 2007| access-date= 6 June 2010}}</ref>

In December 2008, Mercer was appointed as Chairman of the House of Commons Sub-Committee on Counter-Terrorism, to further his work as a member of the [[Home Affairs Select Committee]].{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

In March 2009 Mercer volunteered for three days at a charity named Save the Family, learning and helping displaced families as part of a programme devised by Iain Duncan Smith.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/press-releases/patrick-mercer-mp-to-work-with-homeless-families-at-save-the-family-flintshire-17-19-march-2009 |title=Patrick Mercer MP to work with homeless families at Save the Family, Flintshire 17–19 March 2009 |publisher=The Centre for Social Justice |date=12 March 2009 |access-date=25 February 2017}}</ref>

===Parliament from 2010===
At the 2010 general election, Mercer more than doubled his majority to 16,152, to make Newark one of the safest Conservative seats in the country. In August 2010, based on intelligence from serving army officers, he warned that dissident Irish terror groups could be planning to attack the party conferences, including the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/northernireland/7958477/Republican-dissidents-to-target-Tory-conference.html |title=Republican dissidents 'to target Tory conference'|work=The Daily Telegraph |date=22 August 2010 |access-date=31 May 2013 |location=London}}</ref>

In May 2011, Mercer was appointed with [[Lord Ashcroft]] to review the future of the [[Akrotiri and Dhekelia|military bases in Cyprus]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13526211 |title=Cyprus military bases' review 2011 |work=BBC News |date=24 May 2011 |access-date=31 May 2013}}</ref>

In August 2011, Mercer with his knowledge of Northern Ireland, led the calls for considering the use of water cannon and other robust police tactics to deal with the rioters during the [[2011 England riots]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Stephen Bates |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/aug/09/theresa-may-water-cannon-riots |title=Patrick Mercer calls for water cannon 9 August 2011 |newspaper=The Guardian |date= 9 August 2011|access-date=31 May 2013 |location=London}}</ref> The next day David Cameron approved the use of water cannon after chairing a session of the [[Cabinet Office Briefing Room]], Cobra.<ref>{{cite news|last=Porter |first=Andrew |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8692996/London-riots-David-Cameron-approves-water-cannon.html |title=Cameron approves water cannon 10 August 2011 |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=10 August 2011 |access-date=31 May 2013}}</ref>

In October 2011, Mercer supported a failed bid by the Everyday Champions Church to open a free school in his constituency.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.secularism.org.uk/creationist-church-remains-resol.html |title=Creationist church remains resolute in pursuit of free school 21 October 2011 |publisher=Secularism.org.uk |date=21 October 2011 |access-date=31 May 2013}}</ref> The bid was rejected because of concerns over the church's explicitly [[creationist]] stance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6069260 |title=Evangelicals' free school would include creationism on science curriculum 12 September 2011 |work=Tes.co.uk |access-date=31 May 2013}}</ref>

In November 2011, the press reported that Mercer had been taped making disparaging remarks about David Cameron, calling him "despicable" and describing him as an "arse" and "the worst politician in British history since [[William Gladstone]]". The same articles claimed he had predicted that Cameron would be ousted by Conservative MPs in early 2012.  Mercer later denied making the comments.<ref name=tapedattack>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/8886745/Tory-MP-in-row-over-taped-attack-on-David-Cameron.html|title=Tory MP in row over 'taped attack' on David Cameron|author= [[Patrick Hennessy (journalist)|Patrick Hennessy]]|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|date=13 November 2011|access-date=13 November 2011|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/nov/13/tory-mp-cameron-ousted-spring|title=Tory MP 'secretly taped claiming Cameron will be ousted in spring'|author=Press Association"|newspaper=The Guardian|date=13 November 2011|access-date=13 November 2011|location=London}}</ref>

===Resignation===
Mercer resigned the [[Conservative Party whip]] on 31 May 2013 following an investigation by  ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' and BBC's ''[[Panorama (British TV programme)|Panorama]]'' caught him on camera accepting payment for [[lobbying]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Mercer aftermath: Will PM introduce new lobbying laws?|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22745070|work=BBC News|access-date=7 August 2013|date=2 June 2013}}</ref>

In June 2013, less than two weeks after Mercer had resigned the party whip, it was reported that in talking to an undercover reporter he had described a meeting with a young Israeli woman who said she was a soldier.<ref name=Holly-Claire>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/10092624/Cash-for-questions-Patrick-Mercer-no-stranger-to-controversy.html|title=Cash for questions: Patrick Mercer no stranger to controversy|author=Holly Watt and Claire Newell|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=31 May 2013|access-date=13 July 2013|location=London}}</ref> He told the reporter he had thought to himself "You don't look like a soldier to me. You look like a bloody Jew".<ref name=Holly-Claire/> He then spoke to ''[[Jewish News]]'' and apologised unreservedly for any offence he had caused to the Jewish community by his  "stupid remark".<ref>"Mercer 'apologises for Jew remark'", ''[[Evening Standard]]'', 12 June 2013</ref>

On 29 April 2014, after seeing a [[Commons Select Committee on Standards]] report into his conduct, due to be published on 1 May, calling for him to be barred from Parliament for six months, Mercer announced he would resign his seat.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-27208966 | title=Former Tory MP Mercer resigns after Commons suspension | date=29 April 2014 | work=BBC News | access-date=29 April 2014}}</ref> He was [[Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds|appointed to the Chiltern Hundreds]] the next day, making his resignation effective.<ref>{{cite web |title=Appointments to the Chiltern Hundreds and Manor of Northstead Stewardships since 1880 |url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn04731/ |website=House of Commons Library |access-date=14 July 2023}}</ref>

The Commons Standards Committee report on Mercer stated that its members were "not aware of a case relating to a sitting MP which has involved such a sustained and pervasive breach of the house's rules on registration, declaration and paid advocacy."<ref>{{cite news|title=Patrick Mercer made one of worst ever breaches of rules, watchdog finds|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/01/patrick-mercer-tory-mp-worst-ever-breaches-rules|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=27 October 2014}}</ref> It stated that Mercer "had deliberately evaded the rules", including engaging in "paid advocacy" and failing to make "any serious attempt to identify his ultimate clients". He had also failed to register monies received properly; to deposit the contract he signed to provide services; and to declare a relevant interest when tabling parliamentary questions, tabling an [[early-day motion]], making approaches to other MPs, and when speaking at a meeting of the [[All-Party Parliamentary Group]]. Mercer was also criticised for "repeatedly denigrating fellow Members both individually and collectively".<ref name="Committee on Standards"/>

The recommended period of suspension from the House of Commons was the second longest suspension since 1947. ([[Denis MacShane]], later convicted of a criminal offence, was suspended for twelve months in 2012, and also resigned immediately as an MP.) One member voted to expel Mercer as an MP, and another wanted him suspended for eight months.<ref name="Committee on Standards">{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmstandards/1225/1225.pdf|title=Committee on Standards report on Patrick Mercer|publisher=House of Commons|date=1 May 2014|access-date=1 May 2014}}</ref>

A [[by-election]] for the vacant Newark seat was held on 5 June 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-27705671|title=Voters to go to polls in Newark by-election|work=BBC News|date=5 June 2014|access-date=5 June 2014}}</ref>