Patrick Mercer Politician

Colonel Patrick John Mercer, OBE (born 26 June 1956) is an author and former British politician. He was Conservative shadow homeland security spokesman before being forced to resign by David Cameron in 2007 for making "unacceptable" racist remarks in an interview with The Times. He was elected as a Conservative in the 2001 general election, until resigning the party's parliamentary whip in May 2013 following questions surrounding paid advocacy, and was an Independent MP representing the constituency of Newark in Parliament until his resignation at the end of April 2014 after the Standards Committee suspended him for six months for "sustained and pervasive breach of the house's rules".He is a frequent commentator on defence and security issues having served as infantry officer in the British Army and held the position of Shadow Minister for Homeland Security. He is a former journalist for the BBC and has to date written four military novels. He is a patron of the Victoria Cross Trust.

Personal facts

Birth date	June 26, 1956
Birth place	Cheshire , England , Stockport
Nationality	United Kingdom
Religion	Church of England
Education	Cranfield University The King's School Chester Exeter College Oxford

Search

Member of parliament

electionmajority	16152
other party	Conservative Party (UK)
service end	1999
service start	1975
successor	Newark by-election 2014

Politician

military branch	British Army
military rank	Colonel (United Kingdom)
military unit	Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment
party	Independent (politician)