LYING about your army history ought to be a legal offence, Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer suggests.
The senior Tory made the call amid a war of text with his Labour rival Fred Thomas in Plymouth Moor Check out.
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Mr Mercer accused his opponent of remaining a “real-lifetime Walter Mitty” who lied about his army services.
The row hinges on a 2023 Guardian posting that noted Mr Thomas served in “combat missions” as a Royal Maritime.
Labour sources explained to the BBC this week that Mr Thomas experienced been misreported in the newspaper but he was unable to explore big sections of his provider thanks to “sensitive operations” he was involved with.
Mr Mercer explained to the Solar on Sunday: “It’s deeply disrespectful and offensive to those people who have been in combat if you assert you have – when you have not.”
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Mr Mercer stated he was earlier in opposition to criminalising people who bloat their record or fib simply because they are usually susceptible.
“This has completely transformed my view,” he included. “People will use it and consider paint a wrong impression of themselves for individual obtain. I believe we ought to criminalise it like they do in the United States.”
Mr Thomas strongly denies lying and Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer branded Mr Mercer’s attacks “sad and desperate”.
Mr Thomas explained: “I am very pleased of getting served my country for 7 many years, including overseas on operations.
“I continue to be unable to explore a great deal of my assistance, anything which Johnny Mercer – as a former Defence minister – is keenly informed of.”
