News about Johnny Mercer

He said the Opposition's reluctance to boost investment in the Armed Forces risked 'sending a signal' to the UK's enemies that 'we are not serious about defence'. In a speech, Mr Shapps unveiled plans for 'a golden age' of Royal Navy shipbuilding, with as many as 28 vessels in the pipeline or under construction. Following the Mail's Don't Leave Britain Defenceless campaign, the Government recently pledged £75billion of additional funding from 2025 to 2030.

A former British Army officer who spent 17 years facing a false war crime accusation has urged a High Court judge not to send Johnny Mercer to jail. The Veterans Minister is facing a prison sentence for refusing to name military informants at an inquiry into alleged SAS 'Extra Judicial Killings'. Mr Mercer told Lord Justice Sir Charles Haddon-Cave, who is leading the inquiry, that he must preserve the anonymity of individuals who spoke to him in confidence. But the judge has told the MP his stance is 'completely unacceptable' and that he could be sanctioned for his silence. Under the provisions of the 2005 Inquiries Act, Mr Mercer - himself a former Army captain - faces up to 51 weeks behind bars or a substantial fine.

Known only as N1466 the officer risked the safety of his family when he claimed ' cancer had infected' a particular unit of the SAS. Between 2009 and 2013 he was responsible for all SAS overseas operations- meaning he focused on British military activity in Afghanistan. According to a Sunday Times investigation the officer tipped police off about a safe which held a dossier of evidence from a SAS soldier detailing allegations of murder. The officer's actions caused a massive inquiry with 6,000 classified documents being disclosed by the Ministry of Defence.

As the polls closed at 10pm on Thursday night, odds of the Conservative party losing 500 or more seats were at 45 per cent on the Betfair Exhange. Forecasts suggest the Tories could lose up to half of the council seats they are defending in England, with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt saying the party expects to suffer 'significant losses'. But while the party is braced for another bruising, punters are predicting the election results may not be as bad as feared. Odds of a wipe out of 750 or more seats were at a distant  five per cent on the Betfair Exchange as voting finished tonight.

Ipswich's Tom Hunt confirmed he had been forced to act and blamed his dyspraxia, a condition that affects sufferers' organisational skills. Mr Hunt, 35, warned people 'persecuting' him online to be 'very careful with their words', saying it is 'well known that sadly we are slightly more prone to lose things'. Voters are required to present certain forms of ID to vote in todays local, mayoral, and police and crime commissioner polls under the Elections Act 2022.

The government awarded a £350,000 grant for the project, which was one of recommendations laid out by Lord Etherton in his review which detailed how people were forced out of the military because of their sexuality. The decision to create the memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire has been heralded by campaigners who will no 'longer feel like a dirty little secret'. An estimated 20,000 people were kicked out before the LGBT ban was lifted in 2000. Lord Etherton's government-funded review recommended veterans were compensated financially for the loss of wages and pension earnings and ex-soldiers were given their medals back.

When we asked you to nominate the women you truly admire - those making huge differences to their local communities and beyond - we were inundated with hundreds of incredible stories that spoke of bravery, self-sacrifice and astonishing determination. After much deliberation, our panel of judges chose six worthy winners of this year's Daily Mail Inspirational Women Awards, held in partnership with Marks & Spencer, in support of The WOW Foundation (Women of the World). Last month, the winners were invited to Buckingham Palace to celebrate their remarkable achievements by WOW, which works globally to promote gender equality, where they met its President, Her Majesty The Queen.

She also referred to her work on Instagram as a 'roaring call to arms' advising the internet of Britain's unraveling and how we should speak out and stand up for what we believe in.' I'm pulling no punches and sharing some eye-watering (and amusing) tales you hadn't heard before,' she teased. 'Can you guess some of the names which might feature?'

Sir Charles Haddon-Cave, the Afghanistan inquiry's chairman, gave Veterans' Minister Johnny Mercer until April 5 to sign a witness statement containing the names or face a potential prison term. The chairman said his decision to'refuse to answer legitimate questions during a public inquiry' was "disappointing... and completely intolerable." During his tenure as a backbench MP, Mr Mercer has consistently refused to hand over the names of'multiple officers' who told him of murder charges and a cover-up.

Special forces soldiers are being affected by fears of being sued for decisions made in war, according to James Heappey, 43, who is stepping down as armed forces minister. Five serving SAS soldiers are facing potential murder charges in connection with the assassination of a suspected jihadist in Syria, according to the Daily Mail earlier this month. The allegations that SAS troops executed as many as 80 Taliban suspects in Afghanistan detention from 2010 to 2013. A High Court public inquiry is also underway into allegations that SAS soldiers executed as many as 80 Taliban prisoners.

STEPHEN GLOVER: Johnny Mercer (right) is being threatened by the Afghan Unlawful Killings commission's chairman, Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, (left) with arrest or a hefty fine. I am not sure that a judge made such a threatening threat to a senior minister (ass minister for veterans' affairs, Mr Mercer sits in the Cabinet) in British history. It is a troubling sign of the growing trend of judicial overreach. Mr Mercer was not one of those politicians who ordered young men to die or be injured. He went to Afghanistan three times as a soldier and ended as a Captain. To be brave, we don't have to reveal his politics, just agree that he was brave. Since he has so far refused to reveal the names of whistleblowers, he's in danger with Lord Justice Haddon-Cave.

The King's Guard yelled'make way' at two pigeons blocking the pavement outside Buckingham Palace. The birds were reportedly startled by their booming voices, causing them to fly away. The guards, clutching a black briefcase, then marched down the pavement. Despite many people's first impressions of them tourist attractions, the King's Guard consists of elite serving soldiers charged with safeguarding the monarch's life and property. Disgusting tourists have sparked outrage by mocking the King's Guard, and a series of videos proving the numerous times when armed police were ordered to step in and stop them has emerged this week.

Rishi Sunak has increased pressure on veterans' minister Johnny Mercer to obey a judge's order to identify those who alerted him of suspected SAS troops' deaths. Sir Charles Haddon-Cave, the chairman of the Afghanistan Inquiry, has given Mr Mercer until April 5 to hand over the names. If the judge does not follow the judge's instructions, the Cabinet Office minister has been warned he could face a fine or even a prison term. People should'of course' comply with government inquiries, according to Downing Street today, despite Mr Mercer's calls to retract due to his refusal to identify the individuals. If you ask whether people should cooperate with judge-led inquiries, the Prime Minister's spokesperson said: "Of course, but I'm not going to get into the specifics of this situation or this investigation.' It'would not be correct' to comment on an pending formal probe or a study of evidence or testimonies,' according to a spokesman. Mr Mercer should not face a fine if he does not hand over the names, but he refused to comment whether or not he should.

Johnny Mercer, the Veterans' Minister, was given ten days to identify the whistleblowers who notified him of suspected SAS murders in Afghanistan or face being jailed. Sir Charles Haddon-Cave, the chairman of the Afghanistan Inquiry, has given Tory MP for Plymouth until April 5 for a witness statement containing the names of whistleblowers. During the minister's testimony to the probe last month, the chairman told Mr Mercer that his decision to'refuse to respond legitimate queries... during a public inquiry' was 'disappointing... and completely intolerable.'

Johnny Mercer, a former Army officer, told a public inquiry last month that'multiple sources' had warned him that the UK SAS had carried out executions in Afghanistan, but he refused to reveal their names. With a section 21 notice requiring him to disclose his sources, and if he continues to deny, he could be fined or sentenced to jail for up to 51 weeks. A public inquiry is now looking at whether special forces had a programme of killing males of 'fighting age' who posed no threat in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013.

Guards are seen mocking and joking at guards as if to engage in YouTube clips shared to London City Walks. In another case, a woman was bitten by a mount for getting too close, one of a 'idiot' even attempted to grab the reins of a horse, sparking the mount's veto, while in another situation a woman was bitten by a mount for getting too close. The controversy has even piqued the interest of government ministers, including Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Veterans' Affairs minster Johnny Mercer, who have praised officers for ordering the troublemakers to move away.

Mr Mercer, Britain's Minister of Veterans' Affairs, admits that being in Dusseldorf with the Sussexes in September last year inspired him to return to Britain after more than a decade. Mr Mercer said Invictus is a "festival of recovery" and that Birmingham's history of caring for injured veterans made it the best host city in three years' time, according to MailOnline. However, the former Army officer and Tory MP for Plymouth Moor View denies that any deal was concluded with Harry when they were together in Dusseldorf, despite the fact that they did not discuss the offer at all. With Harry and the Invictus Games bosses making the final decision later this year, Birmingham is currently the only bid for Invictus 2027. Mr Mercer refused to discuss anything he had discussed in Germany, insisting that it would "not be appropriate" to do so. Mr Mercer says that Britain owes a great debt to the Duke of Sussex. "He [Harry] has done so much to raise veteran care in this world.' The country should be extremely grateful for the contributions he has made and the Invictus Games' Foundation's efforts.

Despite being the object of an official request, former soldier Mr Mercer has declined to conduct an inquiry into the suspected murders with the names of his sources. Witnesses who were given promises that their identities would be shielded if they were to raise questions about their fellows, according to his reports. Mr Mercer has been told that refusing to identify sources is 'completely intolerable,' and is likely to hinder the investigation's progress.

The Home Secretary praised an armed police officer who was chastised tourists for "ridiculously" a King's Guard on duty. The officer's behavior was lauded by James Cleverly after a video appeared on TikTok depicted a crowd yelling and roaring at the guard in central London. It showed the tourists, who seemed to be Americans, apparently trying to convince the guard to cooperate with them. However, an armed police officer stepped in to discuss the situation with the guard before telling the company that it should be dismissed. These troops serve their country, they take their jobs seriously, and they are not in possession of ridicule,' he told them. 'Well said.' Mr Cleverly posted in reaction to a video of the incident on Twitter/X.' The veteran affairs minister, Johnny Mercer, also extended his assistance to the wounded police officer, saying, 'Spot on.'

The Office for Veterans Affairs and NHS England launched a campaign today to improve the health of retired servicemen and women. More people want to help with their mental and physical health, and they want more to share with their mental and physical wellbeing, while emphasizing the phrase, "There is strength in asking for assistance." The Royal College of GPs will also instruct family doctors to become'veteran friendly accredited,' implying that they are aware of the local clinic's specialized services. Johnny Mercer, minister for veterans' affairs, told the Mail: "This government is doing more than ever to assist our veterans, but veterans must know if they are understood if they speak out.' We want to give them the ability to share their tale and obtain bespoke services that will aid them in transitioning smoothly into civilian life.'

Since a former SAS soldier was sentenced to prison for refusing to attend the inquest of three members of an IRA 'death squad,' the government is being chastised by veteran military veterans.' The Mail on Sunday reported how the elite ex-soldier, who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), has been sentenced to six months in prison for six months after saying he was too wounded to be asked about the assassination of the three IRA strikemen in a SAS ambush in 1991. According to an extraordinary transcript of a classified court hearing that was released this weekend, the man, who is only known as Soldier F, is a'shell of a man' and is 'broken' by the aftermath of his military service. He was diagnosed with PTSD by two doctors.

EXCLUSIVE: Home Secretary James Cleverly was seen in the sea early in the morning with a fellow politician. In Plymouth Hoe today, the 54-year-old and Johnny Mercer took the plunge in icy waters. Mr Cleverly, dressed in blue swimming trunks and goggles, even dived into the water. In the English Channel, he was joined by the MP for Plymouth Moor View, who was seen practising his breast stroke. After that, the two were discovered enjoying a takeaway coffee in the city.

Since the council made a U-turn, Prince Harry's Royal Marine amputee friend has finally been given his blue parking. In 2008, Ben McBean, 36, (pictured) from Plymouth, was struck by a landmine explosion in Helmand Province at the age of 20. Since returning to the United Kingdom, the father-of-two was issued a blue badge before councillors revoked it after seeing him run the London marathon with a prosthetic blade. Johnny Mercer, a retired veteran of Afghanistan, intervened and helped Mr McBean get the badge back, but only for his renewal request, which was refused. However, Plymouth City Council has made a U-turn and has re-issued his blue badge.

In 2008, Ben McBean, 36, of Plymouth, was struck by a landmine explosion in Helmand Province at the age of just 20. Since returning to the United Kingdom, the father-of-two was initially given a blue badge before councillors revoked it after seeing him use a prosthetic blade to run the London Marathon in aid of Help For Heroes. Johnny Mercer, a former service minister, intervened and helped Mr McBean regain his badge despite the fact that his renewal request had been refused. To be honest, I'm not sure what else I've got to do.' I just didn't meet those requirements,' Mr McBean told Talking TV.