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Patrick Mercer 'banned from Parliament for six months' following lobbying scandal Patrick Mercer resigns as MP for Newark
(about 2 hours later)
MP for Newark Patrick Mercer has reportedly been banned from Parliament for six months following revelations last year that he accepted cash in return for tabling questions in the House of Commons. David Cameron faces a damaging by-election defeat after a former Conservative MP dramatically resigned from the Commons over sleaze allegations.
The Commons Standards Committee met on Tuesday, and is believed to have passed a ban on the former Army officer, according to The Week. Patrick Mercer announced he was quitting as the MP for Newark, Notts, following accusations he broke parliamentary rules over lobbying.
Mr Mercer stepped down as Conservative party whip last Jane, following a joint investigation by the Telegraph and BBC Panorama in which he agreed to set table questions and Commons motions for money at the request of undercover reporters. Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK Independence Party, signalled Tuesday he was considering whether to stand in the by-election which is likely to take place in June.
It is uncertain whether Mr Mercer will return to Parliament when the reported ban is lifted. He reportedly told his friends that he would stand down if he is suspended for over a month, according to the Sunday Times. The Tories – already facing coming third in next month’s Euro-elections – would face an uphill struggle to hold on to the seat.
Mr Mercer has not yet responded to a request for a comment by The Independent, and a team member of his Parliamentary office did not confirm whether he had been banned. Mr Mercer decided to resign after learning he faced a six-month suspension from Westminster as punishment for his behaviour. The penalty was agreed by the Commons standards committee and was due to be formally announced tomorrow.
If the Newark MP does resign, the Conservative Party will be faced a fresh PR battle weeks before the 22 May European Elections, for which they will be attempting to retain voters attracted by Ukip. Mr Mercer, who has sat as an independent since quitting the Tory whip 11 months ago, last night said he accepted the committee’s verdict and apologised to his constituents for his conduct.
The former army colonel won Newark from Labour in 2005 – partly helped by the sitting MP facing allegations over her expenses – and built up his majority to 16,000 at the last election.
Ukip came fourth with less than four per cent of the vote, but the backlash against Mr Mercer could turn the by-election into an attractive prospect for the anti-European Union party. It is certain to create a headache for Mr Cameron, who is braced for the Tories to be outpolled by Ukip and Labour in the European parliamentary elections on May 22.
Mr Farage indicated yesterday that he could stand as long as the contest takes place after the Euro-elections. He said: “I will give it serious consideration.“
In a statement outside the Commons, Mr Mercer said: “It is clear to me the constituency of Newark needs to be represented properly. I will not argue with the findings of the committee and I can only humbly apologise.
“My military background has taught me that you must never let down the people who depend on you, and those people are my constituents of Newark. If that becomes the case, you must go without any argument.”
Mr Mercer secretly filmed by reporters last year apparently accepting £4,000 to lobby on behalf of Fiji, which faces accusations of human rights abuses.
He apparently agreed to set up a parliamentary group to press for the south Pacific nation to return to the Commonwealth.
Ahead of last year’s report, Mr Mercer announced he was referring himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. He also said he was resigning the Tory whip and had decided not to stand at the 2015 general election.