By Jessica Frank-Keyes
Johnny Mercer has been given a fresh deadline to explain why he should not have to hand over the names of those who informed him of alleged special forces murders in Afghanistan.
The veterans minister submitted an appeal to the Afghanistan Inquiry after he was ordered to provide a witness statement containing the names – or face a potential prison sentence.
Chairman Sir Charles Haddon-Cave originally gave the Plymouth Moor View MP until 4pm on April 5 to comply with the order, but this has now been extended after Mercer’s appeal.
The minister now has until 4pm on May 8 to make any further submissions or evidence, Sir Charles has determined, while he considers Mercer’s application to challenge.
It comes after his appearance at the inquiry in March, which saw Sir Charles describe his decision to “refuse to answer legitimate questions … at a public inquiry” as “disappointing … surprising … and completely unacceptable”.
This was in reference to Mercer repeatedly refusing to give the names of “multiple officers” who told him about allegations of murder and a cover-up, while he was a backbench MP.
Inquiry counsel Oliver Glasgow KC will write a note detailing “any relevant legal or factual matters… pertinent to the application” by April 29, with a copy sent to Mercer’s lawyers.
He will then have nine days to respond, the inquiry chairman said.
Mercer told Glasgow last month that he was not disclosing the names because: “The one thing you can hold on to is your integrity and I will be doing that with these individuals.”
He was served with a Section 21 notice on March 13, compelling him to hand over the names, which the inquiry has said will be “treated in confidence”.
The consequences of failing to comply without reasonable excuse, Sir Charles said, would be “a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment and/or a fine”.
