Tory MP quits over claim he broke rules on lobbying
CoNSerVATIVe MP Patrick Mercer has announced he is quitting parliament, amid allegations he broke lobbying rules.
The back-bencher said he was resigning the Tory whip immediately, “to save my party embarrassment”, and would not stand at the next general election.
The move came after he was caught up in a joint investigation by the BBC’s Panorama programme and a daily newspaper.
It is believed to have focused on Mr Mercer’s alleged lobbying on behalf of fiji – a country on which he tabled Commons questions last month.
In a statement, the former shadow minister said: “Panorama are planning to broadcast a programme alleging that I have broken parliamentary rules.
“I am taking legal advice about these allegations, and I have referred myself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Stand- ards. In the meantime, to save my party embarrassment, I have resigned the Conservative whip and have so informed [chief whip] Sir George Young. I have also decided not to stand at the next general election.”
Mr Mercer’s relations with Prime Minister David Cameron have long been fraught and, as news leaked out yesterday, there was initially speculation he could be defecting to the UK Independence Party (Ukip).
But a Tory spokesman said Mr Cameron thought the MP had “done the right thing”, adding: “It’s important that the due processes take their course.”
The former army colonel was shadow homeland security minister until 2007, stepping down after suggesting racism was “part and parcel” of life in the forces.
No 10 will hope to avoid a byelection in Newark, where Ukip could pose a threat, despite a 16,000 Tory majority in 2010.
However, there will be pres- sure on the MP to quit the Commons as details of the allegations emerge, with Panorama expected to air on Monday.
Conservative back-bencher Zac Goldsmith said the case of issues related to those involved. Panorama has sought responses from a number of people, including Mr Mercer.”
Stuart Wallace, chairman of the Newark Conservative Association, said: “We will be saddened if these allegations are proven.”
TaxPayers’ Alliance chief executive Matthew Sinclair said: “Newark residents will be intrigued as to why their MP has resigned from his party but not from parliament.
“Mr Mercer’s constituents should have the right to hold him to account for his actions if they feel he has let them down, but they cannot do so because the government has failed to introduce the recall mechanism it promised.”