http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...AVCBQ0IV0?xml=/news/2007/03/08/nmercer108.xml A Conservative front-bencher who accused "idle and useless" ethnic minorities in the Army of using allegations of racism as a cover for their poor performance has been forced to stand down. Patrick MercerPatrick Mercer, the shadow homeland security minister and a former colonel, claimed that being subjected to slurs like "black bastard" and other racial abuse is common, and to be expected, in the Armed Forces. "I came across a lot of ethnic minority soldiers who were idle and useless, but who used racism as cover for their misdemeanours," the MP for Newark said of his time in the Army in an interview today with the Times. A Conservative spokesman initially said the remarks were a "private matter", but later in the afternoon David Cameron asked Mr Mercer to step down, describing his comments as "completely unacceptable". Mr Cameron has drawn fierce criticism for his party's sluggish response to the controversy. Sadiq Khan, a Labour MP, said: "Patrick Mercer's comments are deeply shocking and so is the initial response of Cameron's HQ. "Rather than dismissing it as a 'personal matter' David Cameron's Tory Party should have sacked him immediately. This shows that the Conservative Party has not changed."
hm i saw this on the news ages ago and quite frankly, i sorta feel sorry for the guy.. because that kinda stuff *does* go on in the army, but so does alot of bullying to white folke too. alot of black soldiers who worked under him came to his defence
With welcome arms. There you are John, someone close to your heart. Maybe it should be the conservatives you vote for, then at least you have a better chance of a class ridden, racist controller being in power?
Nevertheless it's all about image in politics. He's a pawn and he needed to be sacrificed for electability. Even if he's not a racist (which he probably is to some degree) if the public perception is what he's said was racist, then it's a stain on his party that they really don't need right now. If I was David Cameron I'd probably have done the same thing. I don't really feel sorry for him at all....
PERHAPS - PROBABLY two words you cant beat !!! "what, you mean he didnt bribe them, oh sorry judge I thought probability would mean perhaps he had ! I didnt mean to imply that he had but based on probability it was my judgement that an MP is much more corrupt than the average citizen, indeed he may not have bribed them your honour but by the sound of his brand of racism he may have threatened to have them shot if they didnt speak up perhaps"? JUDGE: "erm, did you bribe them, or threaten to shoot them" Colonel: "No your honour" me: "ah well that clears that up then, so we can all go home now, so he is not a corrupt racist old **** after all "?
