308rws
Well-Known Member
Worth a read, a sad day for Veterans and an indictment upon the current sate of UK politics: Resignation
Defence Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer Resigns
- Thread starter 308rws
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That is presumably why he got the boot ! Sad indeed
Siggy
Well-Known Member
He had a red line and stuck to it which was admirable. I suspect he was victim of some Northern Ireland political barginning. It’s difficult to decide whether or not anyone should have protection from the law, but also it is not ideal for 70 year old retired soldiers to be continually dragged back to court - there should be some statue of limitations. If anyone should be held accountable for the actions of any of members the forces, home or abroad, surely it should be the politicians who set them there.
CarlW
Well-Known Member
Agreed.
Such an approach would have the added benefit of keeping Tony Blair busy for the next hundred years or so...
Stalker62
Well-Known Member
Based on what, may I ask?
I have nothing against member of the Armed Forces being held to account for illegal actions. It happens all the time in peace-time - the Military Corrective Training Centre in Colchester MCTC has a regular turnover in clients.......one of the latest would have been a Major General, had he not been retrospectively dismissed the Service.
So why should crimes committed in operational theatres be any different? Having said that, there seems to be little merit or natural justice in pursuing actions against servicemen 30 or 40 years after the event, especially since there were enquiries at the time that cleared the servicemen of any culpability. And in the Northern Ireland cases, there was probably more than one enquiry.
I believe Mr Mercer was sacked because he dug his heels in on trying to get the NI veterans protection against prosecution. Clearly, this was not on Boris's agenda, so he got the old heave-ho.
He was a very sound choice as a junior Defence Minister - he got to captain in the Royal Artillery and was in 29 Commando Regiment RA, so he has done a respectable bit of roughy-toughy training. I hope his career is not derailed because of this.
So why should crimes committed in operational theatres be any different? Having said that, there seems to be little merit or natural justice in pursuing actions against servicemen 30 or 40 years after the event, especially since there were enquiries at the time that cleared the servicemen of any culpability. And in the Northern Ireland cases, there was probably more than one enquiry.
I believe Mr Mercer was sacked because he dug his heels in on trying to get the NI veterans protection against prosecution. Clearly, this was not on Boris's agenda, so he got the old heave-ho.
He was a very sound choice as a junior Defence Minister - he got to captain in the Royal Artillery and was in 29 Commando Regiment RA, so he has done a respectable bit of roughy-toughy training. I hope his career is not derailed because of this.
A rather jaundiced view, if I may say so. On what evidence are you libelling Mr Mercer?
404Shooter
Well-Known Member
This is worth reading as it outlines why veterans are so upset (see link below). The letter, from Dr John Reid of 4 May 2001, briefs the then PM on the ‘amnesty’ issue arising from Good Friday. Paragraph 6 is key but the context is that ‘terrorists’ were given amnesty letters while the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland, and Barra McGrory QC in particular, set about pursuing soldiers for historical crimes. I would always expect Servicemen and women to be held to account in law but in a democracy like ours should we not reasonably expect equivalency?
A company that marketed a failed bond scheme that lost savers £236m has been funding an MP's private salary.
Johnny Mercer receives £85,000 from Crucial Academy, a company ultimately funded by Surge Financial Limited.
Surge Financial Limited took 25% commission for marketing bonds by London Capital and Finance (LCF), which is now in administration.
Mr Mercer - who is facing calls from investors to quit as an MP - said he had done nothing wrong.
The Conservative MP for Plymouth Moor View is a non-executive director of Crucial Academy, which trains military veterans and aims to find them employment.
Mr Mercer, himself a former Army officer, is contracted to work 20 hours per month, a rate of more than £350 per hour.
The investors have lost everything and they are not high rollers. He takes the money but seems not to know how how the money to pay him is made. Make up your own minds on his integrity.
Johnny Mercer receives £85,000 from Crucial Academy, a company ultimately funded by Surge Financial Limited.
Surge Financial Limited took 25% commission for marketing bonds by London Capital and Finance (LCF), which is now in administration.
Mr Mercer - who is facing calls from investors to quit as an MP - said he had done nothing wrong.
The Conservative MP for Plymouth Moor View is a non-executive director of Crucial Academy, which trains military veterans and aims to find them employment.
Mr Mercer, himself a former Army officer, is contracted to work 20 hours per month, a rate of more than £350 per hour.
The investors have lost everything and they are not high rollers. He takes the money but seems not to know how how the money to pay him is made. Make up your own minds on his integrity.
CarlW
Well-Known Member
Crucial Academy (by which JM was legitimately employed as a non-exec) borrowed (and I believe repaid) money from one of its parents (Surge) in order to continue to help British veterans. Mercer was not involved with Surge, nor was he involved with LCF (for which Surge was a broker).
In my opinion, the collapse of LCF,and the investors' losses, have got nought to do with Mercer.
I worked for some years as a broker in the City of London. We existed on charging brokerage (commission) on the business we successfully placed. Standard practice, nothing hidden, the brokerage amount (%age) was written into the business documents. That was how the broking industry made its income.
LCF issued bonds and they were marketed by Surge Financial, which took a commission for that marketing service. Again, normal business practice.
Crucial Academy was a cybersecurity recruitment start-up facilitating the training and employment of Veterans into the civilian workforce in an area where there is a real need for expertise (imagine trying to defend a computer network, commercial or governmental, against the legions of hackers from Iran, North Korea, China or Russia). It had nothing to do with LCF bond issues or marketing those bonds.
And as the FCA and the FSCS didn't cover themselves in glory dealing with the whole LCF bond/Surge Financial issues (and potential investors), the government is giving investors a bailout of 80% of their losses.
Details of Compensation scheme for London Capital & Finance bond holders announced
Details of the scheme to compensate bondholders who lost money due to the collapse of London Capital & Finance have been set out by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen, today (19 April 2021).
Although it may sound it to many, £85k a year as a NED is not excessive, given JM's public profile and background in and knowledge of the Armed Forces.
In the field of cybersecurity, very good specialist consultants could earn £2k per day. Permanent employees can easily earn over £100k a year - I am not talking about IT help desk level people here.
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The London solicitor advising my employers charges double that - and that is a discounted rate because we are established clients and more instructions will be forthcoming.
Often the hourly rates sound high for non exec jobs but that’s because the, say 20 hours per month, is to cover attendance at meetings etc.; it does not include a lot of further hours reading up and preparing for those meetings in many cases.
That said, I wouldn’t mind a position like that to top up my pension once I retire......pay for the odd box of non toxic ammunition wouldn’t it?
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