Editing Patrick Mercer (section)

===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>