Johnny Mercer

A very rare breed, a Tory with a sense of decency. From the Grauniad.

The former veterans’ minister Johnny Mercer has launched an extraordinary attack on Boris Johnson’s government, describing it as a “cesspit” and “the most distrustful, awful environment I’ve ever worked in”.

A day after his resignation, the MP also accused ministers of being “cowards” for not implementing a controversial pledge to end “vexatious historical investigations” of veterans who served in Northern Ireland.

 

i'm a vet and did 3 tours in "norn iyun" and got an e-mail about this yesterday, i dont know how to find it and post it on here, but there is a list floating about in the ether of all the mp's who voted against the the bill for V.P's against vets, it makes interesting reading, some parties didnt come out of it very well. all we're asking for is the same treatment as terrorists, bombers, child killers, and murderers of BOTH SIDES

 

He also said "everyone lies" (relating to the downing street and the internal mechanisms of government).

 

Probably the most truthful statement made by an MP ever. If anyone believes any party in power or in opposition doesn't spin lies to suit it's own agenda then they have been truly brainwashed.

Then you look around the world at other countries and realise the situation is no different if not even worse. (USA for example).

 

He was on Peston last night and wasn't impressed to get sacked by text either....

Where has the dignity gone with this government?

I suppose lies and deceit always catch up with you in the end though....

 

His quote was in reference to this government, which he had first hand experience of. Not of all governments or all politicians or all people. Just this government. Of which he was a minister of. Pretty damning I'd say.

 

Agreed. Many governments and opposition parties in the past have either avoided the truth or tried to put a positive spin on it. This government is the first in my lifetime to openly lie (which anyone with a smart phone can prove in 10 seconds) in parliament and never correct the record. There needs to be reform on this; the liar gets protected by the fact that no other MP can accuse them of lying as it's "unparliamentary behaviour".

Edit. There should be a big screen behind the speaker which says in green "True" or in red "Lie" as soon as a statement is fact checked.

 

You'll have people believing in leprechauns and pots of gold soon

 

It's no surprise that he has come out and said what he has said. He's an ex-Army officer. He comes from a totally different breed of people than those wastes of space you generally find in government. Not all those with a military background are perfect human beings of course but they will be more likely to tell it like it is as opposed to the serial liars we usually hear.

I'm not saying that life would be better under a military junta kind of government but I'd rather have someone like General Mike Jackson as Prime Minister than the blundering buffoon currently in office.

 

Iraq war? I'd say that was a total lie.

 

It may have been proved wrong eventually but at the time nobody knew; ie it couldn't be proved at the time that he was lying. Blair probably had a good idea of the truth but was in thrall to Bush. I'm not defending Blair, I think he was an arsehole but it's a completely different situation to the clear provable lies that come out of Johnson's mouth every time he opens it.

 

He may show decency in respect to his thoughts on veterans but his voting record shows he has very little decency when it comes to anything else.

 

He's a Tory so he'll vote the way the party tells him to.

 

Not looked myself, but I take it he was a sheep-like Tory when voting to back Boris when being told him to.

 

What? You mean there aren't going to be any sunlit uplands?

 

He joined the tory party I'm sure as he thought his political beliefs most closely aligned with them and the way they vote

 

Wolf in sheep’s clothing.
He most possibly will still use his vote to support the tories even after all he has to say.

 

Very true Ian, but at least he had the decency to resign.

 

Tories and decency not a common combination.

 

Agreed.