Tag Archives: johnny mercer

Johnny Mercer Slammed Over ‘Inbetweeners’ Jibe At New Labour MP

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Johnny Mercer has been criticised after launching an extraordinary attack on Labour’s newest MP.

The Tory minister compared Keir Mather to a character from hit comedy The Inbetweeners after his stunning victory in Selby and Ainsty.

He also suggested MPs should have raised a family before standing for parliament.

Mather, who is 25, overturned a 20,000 Tory majority in the seat to pull off the historic win.

But on Sky News afterwards, Mercer suggested the new MP was too inexperienced to be in parliament.

He also accused Mather of robotically “parroting” Labour lines because he does not have enough life experience.

He said: “I think it’s always good to get new people in politics. I think we mustn’t become a repeat of the Inbetweeners. You’ve got to have people who have actually done stuff.

“This guy has been at Oxford University more than he’s been in a job. You put a chip in him there and he just repeats Labour lines.

“The problem is people have had enough of that, right? They want people who are authentic, people who have worked in that constituency, who understand what life is like – to live, work and raise a family in communities like there’s.

“I’m afraid I don’t agree with this style of politics. It’s exactly why people like me couldn’t vote in the 2015 election, because you’ve got people with nothing to do with the constituency just dropped in, put a chip in them and they’ll start parroting Labour Party politics.”

Keir Mather celebrates winning with 16,456 votes the Selby and Ainsty by-election.
Keir Mather celebrates winning with 16,456 votes the Selby and Ainsty by-election.

Ian Forsyth via Getty Images

A Labour source told HuffPost UK: “Johnny Mercer’s response to a young gay man being elected was to make fun of his appearance and criticise him for not having raised a family. The true face of the Tory Party.”

Asked about his relative inexperience on Sky News, Mather said: “I don’t think people mind a candidate with a bit of energy and determination.

I’m a taxpayer too, I feel the pressures as much as anybody else. I grew up in a rural village, very similar to the ones across Selby and Ainsty, so I do also know what it’s like to struggle to get that GP appointment.

“People are really struggling and I really get those experiences because I’ve lived them myself.”

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Johnny Mercer Told ‘Facts Matter’ During Bizarre Question Time Performance

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A Conservative minister has been ridiculed online for his performance on BBC Question Time.

Johnny Mercer clashed with Labour frontbencher Bridget Philipson repeatedly on the corporation’s flagship politics show, and faced criticism for talking over fellow panelists.

At one point, the Opposition MP was joined by host Fiona Bruce and guest Dale Vince, the green energy entrepreneur, to correct the veterans minister wrongly suggesting the Labour Party was funded by climate protestors, Just Stop Oil.

Mercer said: “You’re funded by Just Stop Oil, right? Which you’re not gonna give back.”

Philipson replied: “What are you talking about? That is categorically untrue.”

Mercer then tried to argue Vance donated to Just Stop Oil and some Labour politicians, including leader Keir Starmer.

“Facts matter,” Bruce interjected, as she pointed out this was not the same as Just Stop Oil funding the Labour Party.

“Would you like to set the record straight now, Johnny,” asked Philipson.

He was also slapped down after misinterpreting Labour’s position on the NHS.

During a question about the NHS, as the service marks its 75th anniversary, Philipson made the case for the NHS remaining free at the point of need – meaning the public has access to healthcare regardless of whether they can afford it at that moment or not.

She said: “I believe the principle of access free at the point of need is what has built the NHS, and made it so great, that we know that however much you’ve got in your bank account you can get the care you need, or you should be able to get the care you need at the point at which you need it.”

She added: “The sad reality is after 13 years of the Conservatives, that isn’t the case for people right now.”

But the point was was later given a different spin by Mercer.

The Plymouth MP said: “I mean, this idea that Bridget came out with, it depends how much money you’ve got in your bank account, whether you get served in A&E, is obviously garbage.”

Philipson swiftly responded: “That wasn’t the point I was making. You’re misrepresenting my position.”

Mercer continued: “You did say it depends how much money you’ve got as to how quickly you get treated.”

Philipson continued that she apologised if she “misspoke”, adding: “The point I was making was that it shouldn’t depend on how much you have in your bank account, whether you get access to healthcare.”

She ended the back and forth by saying: “Your government has broken the NHS and now you quibble about semantics.”

The Tory MP was later accused of “shouting across every member of the panel tonight” by an audience member.

Mercer on the show stood by his jibe at critics of “collective bed-wetting” after the backlash he faced for saying armed forces personnel don’t need to use food banks.

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Tory MP Blasts ‘Comedic Figures’ In Government In Threat To Rebel Over Budget

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A Conservative MP has hit out at the “comedic figures masquerading as government ministers” as Tory anger over Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget continued despite an astonishing U-turn on income tax cuts for the highest earners.

Johnny Mercer, who was last month removed as veterans affairs minister by new prime minister Liz Truss, said “they can do whatever they like with the whip” as he warned he would be speaking out in the Commons about the controversial package.

Tory MPs who vote against the prime minister’s tax measures have been warned they will be kicked out of the parliamentary party – known as losing the whip.

In a Facebook post, the Plymouth MP wrote: “You know I will not accept budgets like the ones we saw last week. It is hard watching these rather comedic figures masquerading as government ministers sprawling around in the media.

“Last week my friend had to close his coffee shop. Another had his mortgage pulled. It is deeply unfunny for normal people, and I will waste no time in letting them know in the Commons at the first opportunity.

“I will not support anything that doesn’t help the brilliant people of Plymouth through intensely difficult times – they can do whatever they like with the whip.”

When Mercer was fired, his wife, Felicity Cornelius-Mercer, took to Twitter to call Truss an “imbecile” as she said the Cabinet system “stinks” and “treats people appallingly”.

The MP’s comments came on the same day as Kwarteng abandoned plans to scrap the 45% rate for earnings over £150,000 to stave off a Tory revolt.

Former Cabinet minister Michael Gove suggested he could now support the package and fellow potential rebel Grant Shapps welcoming the U-turn.

But HuffPost UK has reported that many angry Conservative MPs now want the government to stick by Boris Johnson’s promise to raise benefits by the rate of inflation — something Truss and Kwarteng have so far failed to do as they draw up plans to slash public spending.

One MP said: “Thank the lord for the 45p U-turn, but that’s after billions lost from shares, £65 billion spent by the Bank of England to prop up pension funds, asking MPs to defend the indefensible and threatening MPs with losing the party whip if they vote against.

“What they have to do now is maintain the real term increases in benefits and spending for essential public services. If not, that’s when people will speak out again.”

At the Tory party conference in Birmingham, the chancellor joked about his humiliating 45p tax rate U-turn.

“What a day,” he told the Tory conference as he admitted there had been “a little turbulence” since his mini-budget, a reference to the economic chaos caused by his unfunded tax cuts.

Unease is mounting among Tory backbenchers as the Labour Party has mounted a 30-point poll lead in at least two surveys in the last week, enough for a landslide election victory.

Johnson loyalist Nadine Dorries has called for an early election as she accused Truss of trashing the former PM’s legacy.

The former culture secretary said there is “widespread dismay at the fact that three years of work has effectively been put on hold”.

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Johnny Mercer Spoke To Boris Johnson On Saturday But Was So Drunk He Can’t Remember

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A Conservative MP spoke to Boris Johnson on the phone – but was so drunk he cannot remember what they spoke about.

The prime minister rang Johnny Mercer on Saturday as part of his efforts to rally support among his disgruntled backbenchers amid growing calls for him to resign.

The Plymouth Moor View MP was sacked as veterans minister last year after clashing with the PM over the treatment of former armed forces personnel.

He later said that the the Johnson administration was “the most distrustful, awful environment I’ve ever worked in”.

On Saturday night, Mercer’s wife Felicity posted a picture of him sleeping at their home.

It said: “So..funny story…the Prime Minister rang tonight directly after an afternoon of FA Cup football and England rugby..and Johnny Mercer was so pissed he can’t remember what was said. Thinking of winding him up tomorrow…I heard Johnny/Boris say………suggestions please.”

Mercer’s local team, Plymouth Argyle, had earlier lost 2-1 to Chelsea in the FA Cup, with England later losing to Scotland in the Six Nations rugby.

Responding to his wife’s tweet, Mercer said: “In other breaking news, wives have a mind and a life of their own.. She’s on this nuts journey with me – the highs and many lows. She is more than entitled to take the p**s out of me/the PM/whoever she likes.”

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Defence Minister Johnny Mercer Resigns From Government

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Defence minister Johnny Mercer, the Conservative MP for Plymouth Moor View, has resigned from the government.

Boris Johnson thanked Mercer for his service as a minister, according to a Downing Street spokeswoman.

In a statement released shortly after 7pm, the spokeswoman said: “This evening the prime minister has accepted the resignation of Johnny Mercer as minister for defence people and veterans.

“He thanks Johnny Mercer for his service as a government minister since 2019.”

In a letter to the PM, posted on his Twitter account, Mercer said: “It is with a heavy heart that I am forced to offer you my resignation from your government.”

He said he had hoped Johnson’s premiership would “signal a step change in veterans affairs in the UK”.

Mercer added: “Whilst we continue to say all the right things, you will understand that if we fail to match that with what we deliver, we risk damaging an already bruised veterans cohort further, as I told you last month in our first face to face meeting, we crossed that line some time ago.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter here, and on Facebook here.

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