Johnny Mercer given Cabinet post as Minister for Veterans' Affairs
Conservative MP Johnny Mercer has been named the new Minister for Veterans' Affairs.
Mr Mercer, a British Army veteran and past critic of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, becomes Minister for Veterans' Affairs in the Cabinet Office and will attend Cabinet.
He had told the Prime Minister in 2021 that he had "no choice" but to leave his previous role as Minister for Defence People and Veterans, over the lack of legal protection for UK veterans of The Troubles.
Mr Mercer said on Twitter he was "delighted" to be the UK's new Minister for Veterans' Affairs.
"Delighted to be the UK's first Cabinet Minister for Veterans' Affairs, which together with the Office for Veterans' Affairs, finally aligns us with our international allies in how veterans are represented across Government," he said.
The British Army veteran added: "Promises to our veterans are important, and will be kept."
Last week, during PMQs, Mr Mercer asked if Mr Johnson could confirm that "no directive has been issued from No.10 or the Treasury on defence numbers, on numbers of personnel, and that will continue to be the case going forward should the situation [in Ukraine] continue to change?"
In his response to the House of Commons, Mr Johnson said troop numbers are kept under "constant review" should the situation in Ukraine continue to change.
Johnny Mercer has a long connection to the Armed Forces.
Coming from a military family, he graduated from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, in 2002.
He served in a number of roles across the globe, including completing three tours of Afghanistan, before retiring from the Army in December 2013 with the rank of captain.
Join Our Newsletter
