Mr Mercer said he hoped the bill would bring comfort to those whose lives were ruined simply because they served this nation. in Northern Ireland' Photo: Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph
Veterans Affairs Minister Johnny Mercer says he has finally made good on his promise to dying soldier Dennis Hutchings by introducing new legislation that protects ex-servicemen from prosecution.
In interview In The Telegraph, Mr Mercer called claims that soldiers serving in Northern Ireland were the “bad men” in the conflict “mad”, while he accused state-funded lawyers of deliberately “prolonging the resolution of legacy issues”.
Mr Mercer, a former army captain, spoke of his pride at the «momentous moment» of the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, which ended the threat of hundreds of prosecutions against war veterans.
New law controversial, opposed It is supported by all political parties in Northern Ireland and victims of terrorist atrocities.
It effectively provides immunity from prosecution to anyone accused of murder and other serious crimes who instead choose to cooperate fully with the new truth and reconciliation body to be established in Belfast.
In his first interview since the bill received royal assent, Mercer, 42, spoke of his pride in keeping his promise to Mr Hutchings. A former corporal major in the Life Guards, Hutchings died of Covid-19 during his own trial for attempted murder for fatally shooting a young man in 1974. At the age of 80, Hutchings suffered from heart and kidney failure. interrupted so he could undergo kidney dialysis up to three times a week.
The minister and the Troubles veteran became friends after his persecution became public.
“I promised the veterans that I would never leave. I made a promise to Dennis. I remember when Dennis was alive he genuinely felt that no one in government was really standing up for him,” Mr Mercer said, adding: “People are clearly annoyed that [the inheritance bill] was passed too late for Dennis… But I hope it brings some comfort to those whose lives have been ruined simply because they served this nation in Northern Ireland.»
Mr Mercer and Mr Hutchings Photo: Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph
Mr Mercer, a veteran of the Afghan conflict, has never toured Northern Ireland and only visited Belfast for the first time in April 2021 to lend support and witness the trial of two soldiers, known only as A and C, who were accused of killing an IRA commander in Belfast in 1972. The trial failed after only a few days.
Mr Mercer threatened to resign from Boris Johnson's government in protest at the then prime minister's failure to stop the prosecution. Before he could leave, Mr. Johnson fired him. Mr Mercer, unafraid to stir up a hornet's nest even within his own party, was brought back to work by Mr Johnson in July last year but was sacked by Liz Truss for a second time less than two months later. Rishi Sunak appointed him for the third time as Minister of State for Veterans Affairs (and with a seat in the Cabinet).
“I made the same promise to Soldiers A and C. I saw two men completely abandoned by their people. I did everything I could… Dennis wasn't the only one. People died long before their time. They struggled with alcohol and depression. The list of victims of this current legacy process is long. And that's why I was determined to change that.
“In my opinion, it's really not that controversial to prevent abuses in the legal system from following our veterans into their 80s. years. But obviously for some it is, and I respect that.”
He says he “acknowledges criticism” of the new heritage law (opponents include Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar) and sympathizes with the victims terrorism that will never see the perpetrators brought to justice.
The new law will end any new prosecution provided those involved cooperate with the new Independent Conciliation and Recovery Commission. The commission will investigate thousands of deaths and serious incidents such as torture over five years. Chief Commissioner Sir Declan Morgan has already been appointed.
“It's not easy for victims of terrorism, but this is actually their best chance to find out what happened to their loved ones because time is running out. » said Mr. Mercer.
» People are leaving; people take secrets to their graves. I've always been relentlessly focused, yes, on the veterans, [but] also on the victims. I spent several hours with these families and understand their concerns.
“My heart goes out to them. But we have to deal with the world as it is, not as we would like it to be. In other words, they will not be convicted.»
Mr Mercer appeared in Mr Hutchings' trial' funeral in November 2021. Photo: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images
He called on everyone from soldiers to suspected terrorists to cooperate with the new commission. A constant concern among veterans was that former soldiers were disproportionately likely to be prosecuted because the Department of Defense kept records that could be accessed by relatives of those allegedly shot by soldiers. No such records exist for paramilitary forces. Hence the view that soldiers bore the brunt of a series of new police investigations.
“This is not an amnesty,” Mr. Mercer insisted. “People with a political agenda call it that. But this is conditional immunity. If you do not meet these conditions [of cooperation], you do not receive any protection.»
He said an oral history project detailing the Troubles is also critical to the success of the new law. The Minister also wants to contribute to this. “I encourage everyone to take part in this: from all sides. It’s not that controversial,” he said. He is concerned that history is being rewritten to portray the British Army in Northern Ireland as «aggressors», portraying them as «bad people». He added: «I mean, it's crazy.»
The last soldier to die during the Troubles was Lance Bombardier Stephen Restorick, shot by an IRA sniper at a South Armagh checkpoint in 1997. Mercer said he leaned over to check the woman's license. “And the woman said that all she remembers is “just his smiling face.” And that is the face of the vast majority of British soldiers in Northern Ireland, and I will never allow that legacy to be changed by people trying to make a name for themselves. Don't underestimate how this generation of veterans feels about how they have been treated since then. It's terrible what they felt in the dock in Northern Ireland: complete loneliness.»
He hit out at people using «public funds» who he accused of «dragging their feet on dealing with legacy issues.» for victims and veterans in an attempt to rewrite history.»
Sir Keir Starmer was also heavily criticized. The Labor Party voted against the bill. «I cannot understand how a lone veteran of this country, disgusted by the experiences of people like Dennis Hutchings, could vote for the Labor Party at the next general election,» Mr Mercer said. «This Labor Party doesn't believe in anything at all.»
Now that the bill has become law, Mercer will continue to pursue the initiatives of his other veterans. He only became an MP in 2015 and began his campaign for better treatment of veterans, helping to stop investigations into alleged crimes committed by British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. Thousands of lawsuits turned out to be unfortunate, resulting in a famous lawyer being accused of fraud.
Mr Mercer said his wife Felicity is the best support a husband can have Photo: Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph
So what next?
Mr Mercer has vowed to end homelessness among veterans.
“I’ll go over Christmas and try to find a veteran who’s sleeping rough and figure out what went wrong,” he said. “Politics is about doing things for people who need it. That's all I'm focused on.» Asked if he now plans to seek higher office, he replied: “I have no personal ambitions. Look how many enemies I've made. I don't mind upsetting people because that's not what I'm here for.»
However, he is close to the new prime minister and the two men communicate «very regularly», adding: «I'm close to him.» Mr Sunak recently gave his veterans secretary a new task: to look after young care leavers and make sure they find work and a home to live in.
Perhaps Mr. Mercer ruffled too many feathers in his own party, once effectively going on strike and refusing to support Theresa May, and also had run-ins with her successors Johnson and Truss. Then there's his loyal wife Felicity, who has never held back on social media. He is laughing. “Felicity is the best support a husband can have. I was very lucky. But she also loves scrap metal. And me too. So we're a good fit. In fact, she would do a much better job than me. She's a little better than me.»
His goal now is to make the UK the best country in the world for veterans. Mercer was in Germany last week and was photographed sitting next to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Invictus Games. I wonder aloud if Prince Harry might be the next veteran Johnny Mercer rushes to the rescue. Uncharacteristically, he remains silent.
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