Johnny Mercer in row with Labour rival over claims he is ‘a real life Walter Mitty’

Johnny Mercer has accused his Labour rival of being a “Walter Mitty” in a row over his military service.

The minister for veterans affairs said Fred Thomas, who will stand against him to be the MP for Plymouth Moor View on July 4, “could not stand up” claims about his time in combat.

But Mr Thomas on Friday insisted he was “unable to discuss” much of his service, while Labour’s shadow defence secretary branded Mr Mercer’s behaviour “deeply disrespectful”.

The character of Walter Mitty, which was first created in the 1930s, lives a life of fantasy in which he imagines himself as a pilot in wartime.

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday night, Mr Mercer said a question-and-answer event at which Mr Thomas also appeared was “one of the most unpleasant experiences I’ve had in public life”.

“My opponent lied throughout,” he said. “He was then challenged on his claim to have served ‘in combat’ by an 11-tour veteran, which he could not stand up,” Mr Mercer wrote.

“I cannot believe I am standing against a real life Walter Mitty in Plymouth. If there is one place you don’t want to lie about your military service, it is this city.

“Veterans in the room – including one who was sunk in the Falklands – erupted and started to walk out. The hustings [were] ended.”

At the event, Mr Mercer told attendees: “This man has claimed he’s led troops in combat. He never has… If he’s going to lie about that, what else is he going to lie about?”

On Friday, Mr Thomas said he was “proud of having served my country for seven years”, including on overseas operations.

“I remain unable to discuss much of my service, something which Johnny Mercer – as a former defence minister – is keenly aware of,” he said.

“I look forward to using every day until July 4th to take the message of Keir Starmer’s changed Labour Party to the voters of Plymouth Moor View.”

The Telegraph has seen a copy of Mr Thomas’s Royal Navy certificate of valediction, which said he had “discharged your responsibilities faithfully over the last seven years” and praised him for “[embodying] the finest traditions of the Service”.

The document was signed by an unnamed Lieutenant Colonel.

John Healey, the shadow defence secretary, said: “The commanding officer of the Special Forces Support Group wrote of Fred’s integrity and his character.

“Those words will not have been penned lightly. Mr Mercer should do the right thing and withdraw his deeply disrespectful remarks.”

Labour sources pointed to the “highly sensitive” nature of Mr Thomas’s military service. Previous profiles of the candidate have included speculation he may have served in the special forces, on which he has declined to comment.

In a response to the row, posted on X, Fred Thomas said: “I was shocked and disappointed by last night’s hustings. Service should be above politics, and my service as a Royal Marines Commando is the privilege of a lifetime.

“No one should have to see first hand the horror that war inflicts on a society. I have, and I can tell you, having lived and served in a warzone that the daily threat to life is nothing to brag about.

“I left the Royal Marines recently and in my last unit I served on sensitive operations that I can’t talk about. But that should not be an opportunity for political point scoring .”

It is not the first clash between Mr Mercer and Mr Thomas over the latter’s military experience.

The veterans minister accused his Labour rival and Carol Vorderman, the television presenter and activist, of leading “s— lonely lives” after they shared an article about a rise in veteran homelessness in December.

Mr Mercer said the report was “deliberately misleading” and went on to accuse Mr Thomas of “having served five minutes in uniform”.

In response, Mr Thomas called on Rishi Sunak to discipline Mr Mercer, saying: “Only under this weak Prime Minister could the Cabinet minister responsible for veterans feel free to attack another vet’s service, without reprimand.”

Four days before Mr Sunak called the general election, Mr Mercer dismissed the idea of national service and said he was “not sure it would be a good idea”.

But when it was included as a flagship pledge days into the campaign, he reversed his position, telling The Sun on Sunday: “The best thing you can ever do is join up and serve.”