Johnny Mercer (politician)

Johnny Mercer MP
Member of Parliament for Plymouth Moor View
Incumbent
Assumed office 8 May 2015
Preceded by	Alison Seabeck
Majority	1,026 (2.41%)
Personal details
Born	17 August 1981 Kent, United Kingdom
Political party	Conservative
Alma mater	Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Website	Official website
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Captain
Unit	29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery
Battles/wars	Afghanistan War

John Luther Mercer (born 17 August 1981) is a British Conservative politician. He is the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Plymouth Moor View, gaining the seat from Labour at the 2015 general election.^[1][2]

Education

Between the years 1995–2000, Mercer was educated at Eastbourne College,^[3] a co-educational independent school in Eastbourne in East Sussex, followed by RMA Sandhurst in Berkshire.

Life and career

Mercer is a former British Army Officer, and passed out with his commission from Sandhurst in 2002. After completing his studies at school, he opted to spend time working as an intern in the City of London instead of attending university.^[4] Mercer rose to the rank of Captain in the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, serving in military campaigns in Afghanistan.^[5]

According to Mercer, he had never even voted before standing as an MP.^[6] He has said that he entered politics with a view to improving veterans' care and felt he was a Conservative because he regarded a "massive welfare state that saps the ambition and drive of a younger generation" as a problem.^[5] After contacting ex-military Conservative MP Bob Stewart, he was eventually selected as the candidate for Plymouth Moor View.^[5]

Seen by opinion polls as the third favourite candidate to win the seat behind the Labour incumbent and UKIP, Mercer was largely responsible for organising his own campaign "on the cheap".^[5] To raise funds he worked on building sites and even appeared topless in a shower gel advert.^[7] His campaign was subsequently the subject of a police investigation following allegations it breached rules on campaign literature.^[8]

Mercer delivered his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 1 June 2015, describing his "main missions" in Parliament to be improving provisions for mental health and war veterans.^[9]

Personal life

Mercer lives with his wife Felicity and his two young children,^[4] but for two or three nights a week he sleeps on his motor cruiser named Pippa in East London.^[10]

In November 2015 he attracted media attention with a radio interview where he responded to a question on whether he'd ever taken drugs by joking "You don't put diesel in a Ferrari".^[11]

References

1. The London Gazette: no. 61230. p. 9121. 18 May 2015.
2. "Plymouth Moor View Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
3. "Eastbournian Society - 11 May 2015 - Johnny Mercer". Eastbourne College. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
4. "Life before being an MP". Johnny For Plymouth. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
5. Prince, Rosa (6 Jun 2015). "Afghanistan veteran Johnny Mercer's Westminster mission". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
6. Bennett, Owen (1 September 2015). "Johnny Mercer: We need to 'grow up' over Iraq, my 'gippingly' embarrassing Dove advert and why Tony Blair is my political hero". Huffington Post. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
7. Mason, Rowena (7 July 2015). "Plymouth MP appears half-naked in Dove shower gel advert". Guardian. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
8. "MP Johnny Mercer's campaign expenditure investigated". BBC. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
9. Kirkup, James (2 June 2015). "Cynical about politicians? This speech by Johnny Mercer MP should make you think again". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
10. Riley-Smith, Ben (January 2, 2016). "Tory MP sleeps on boat in east London to avoid 'obscene' house prices in capital". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
11. Heritage, Stuart (23 November 2015). "'You don’t put diesel in a Ferrari’: how politicians answer the drugs question". Guardian. Retrieved 23 November 2015.