Minister accused of ‘major incompetence’ for ‘breach of ministerial code’

Sign up for the View from Westminster electronic mail for knowledgeable evaluation straight to your inbox

Get our free View from Westminster electronic mail

A member of Rishi Sunak’s cupboard has been accused of “major incompetence” for failing to appropriate the parliamentary document 4 years after having admitted to deceptive parliament.

Veterans minister Johnny Mercer has acknowledged that he misled the House of Commons in January 2020 throughout a debate about allegations of battle crimes by UK particular forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But, regardless of saying he would appropriate the parliamentary document in August 2020, Mr Mercer has till now failed to take action.

Labour MP Kevan Jones has written to cupboard secretary Simon Case accusing Mr Mercer of having breached the ministerial code.

“I ask that you investigate this continued breach of the Ministerial Code, why the record has not yet been corrected, and outline what action will take place as a result,” he stated, in a letter seen by The Independent.

And the ex-chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Sir Alistair Graham, informed The Independent Mr Mercer was responsible of “letting the House of Commons down”.

“It sounds like major incompetence… the speaker should be criticising him as much as anything,” Sir Alistair stated.

He added: “The House of Commons is based on trusting the word of ministers, that what ministers say is true.

“And if they have promised to do something, it undermines the integrity of the political system if they do not keep to their word.”

During the January 2020 debate, sparked by a Panorama probe into accusations that the federal government and armed forces lined up the killing of civilians by British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, then defence minister Mr Mercer informed MPs: “There have been allegations made by individuals, a very small number of whom worked within the investigative teams.”

But in proof given in individual and submitted in writing to the Independent Inquiry regarding Afghanistan final month, Mr Mercer admitted he had inadvertently misled MPs by studying out statements he later discovered to be incorrect.

And, in an August 2020 letter launched as half of the proof submitted to the inquiry, Mr Mercer informed his then boss defence secretary Ben Wallace: “That I have now been allowed to read out statements to the House of Commons that individuals in strategic appointments in the department knew to be incorrect is completely unacceptable.

“These were clearly not complaints by a ‘small number of individuals within the investigations team’ but widespread. I have continually down-played these allegations in public too to support [special forces unit] UKSF1 and the department.

“That was clearly a mistake.”

Mr Mercer informed Mr Wallace he wished to make an announcement to the House of Commons within the first week of September 2020 correcting the document.

Mr Mercer didn’t appropriate the document within the first week of September 2020 and has nonetheless but to take action within the nearly three and a half years since.

The ministerial code states that it’s of “paramount importance” for ministers to offer “accurate and truthful” data to parliament. And it states that ministers should “correct any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity”.

In an announcement posted on X in February, Mr Mercer stated: “I am an elected politician who serves the public. I am not an appointed official and my position relies on my reputation and my ability to sustain public confidence in my character.”

In his letter to Mr Case, Mr Jones, a member of parliament’s defence committee, stated he has the “utmost respect” for those that served in Afghanistan and Iraq, together with Mr Mercer.

He stated: “As a former member of our Armed Forces, Mr Mercer, is aware of the standards maintained by our Armed Forces and the importance of making sure they are upheld.

“It is with this in mind, that I would ask the Department why Mr Mercer, with due respect to Parliament, as prescribed under the Ministerial Code, did not correct the record at the first opportunity in September 2020, and has yet to do so in the three and half years since.

“By his own admission, it appears Mr Mercer has knowingly – if inadvertently – misled Parliament and therefore is in breach of the Ministerial Code.

“I ask that you investigate this continued breach of the Ministerial Code, why the record has not yet been corrected, and outline what action will take place as a result.”

Mr Mercer in February stated he was offended at Mr Wallace after discovering UK particular forces officers knew about Afghanistan demise squad allegations earlier than he described them as unfaithful within the House of Commons.

Giving proof to the inquiry, he described his time working beneath Mr Wallace as “very difficult”, including: “I did not enjoy it and it placed me in a number of very, very uncomfortable positions.”

The inquiry will study whether or not a particular forces unit, identified to the probe as UKSF1, had a coverage of executing males of “fighting age” who posed no menace in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013.

Afghan households have accused UK particular forces of conducting a “campaign of murder” towards civilians, whereas senior officers and personnel on the Ministry of Defence “sought to prevent adequate investigation”.

Mr Mercer has been contacted for remark.