Johnny Mercer's deadline forcing him to name Afghanistan whistleblowing soldiers extended
Mr Mercer challenged the order which is now being considered by the inquiry chair, who had branded the minister's stance of "refusing to answer legitimate questions" as "completely unacceptable".
Thursday 4 April 2024 17:22, UK
Johnny Mercer will no longer have to meet this Friday's deadline to submit the names of people who told him about alleged murders committed by UK special forces in Afghanistan.
Mr Mercer, the veterans minister, is potentially facing time in prison over his decision not to hand over the information to the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan.
Last month, the former soldier was asked several times by the inquiry chair, Sir Charles Haddon-Cave, to name the people who told him about the alleged killings by UK troops.
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But Mr Mercer refused to do so on the basis that he did not have the permission of his sources.
Statutory inquiries have the power under law to order people to provide evidence - and the refusal to do so can see someone end up in prison, although this is still a distant possibility.
An order under the Inquiries Act was made by Sir Charles, with a deadline of 4pm on 5 April, had been given to Mr Mercer to provide a witness statement containing the names - or face a possible jail sentence.
But the Tory MP for Plymouth challenged the order which he announced on social media on Tuesday.
The inquiry chairman is now considering the appeal and it is understood a verdict could take at least a week to be reached.
Giving his reason for not disclosing the names, Mr Mercer told counsel to the inquiry Oliver Glasgow KC last month: "The one thing you can hold on to is your integrity and I will be doing that with these individuals."
He claims "multiple officers" have told him of allegations of murder and a cover-up in Afghanistan.
During Mr Mercer's evidence to the inquiry, Sir Charles said his decision to "refuse to answer legitimate questions... at a public inquiry" were "disappointing... surprising... and completely unacceptable".
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Tap hereThe Afghanistan inquiry was launched in 2022 to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by the British Armed Forces during deliberate detention operations in the country between 2010 and 2013.