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The Veterans Minister said he \u00adfeared Sir Keir Starmer\u2019s party has no \u00adcredible plan and would wreck the Tory legacy on making Britain the best country for those who have left the Armed Services.<\/p>\n
Mr Mercer, the UK\u2019s first ever \u00administer in the role, said around 400 people have been referred to Op Fortitude \u2013 the programme set up to tackle homelessness in the veteran community \u2013 since it was launched in July. There are 900 spaces available.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI want to get to a place where we have no veterans sleeping rough because of a lack of provision.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m determined to get there. It\u2019s quite a hard goal because there\u2019ll be veterans who won\u2019t self declare \u00adthat they are homeless but I\u2019ll do \u00adeverything I can to find them.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is unknown exactly \u00ad\u00adhow many homeless veterans there are. A Combined Homelessness and Infor\u00admation Network report published in July stated 5% of people seen rough sleeping in the year to March in London had served in the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
Paul Wise, 49, who has endured homelessness since serving in the Royal Marines, said his life has been \u00ad\u201ctransformed\u201d after being given a home at Mike Jackson House in Aldershot. He said: \u201cIt\u2019s the \u00adbest thing that\u2019s \u00adhappened in a long time. It\u2019s given me stability.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Mercer warned that Sir Keir will scrap the Troubles Legacy Bill if he got into No10.<\/p>\n
It ended Troubles-era court cases and inquests and gives a conditional amnesty to those accused of killings and other Northern Ireland-related crimes from the time. An Independent Commission for Recon\u00adciliation and Information Recovery \u00adto take over legacy cases is also \u00adbeing established.<\/p>\n
Mr Mercer said: \u201cIf you speak to veterans \u2013 particularly those who served in the Seventies, Eighties or Nineties \u2013 and ask what is the totemic symbol of their abandonment by their \u00adgovernment, they will say their life ruining attempted prosecutions in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeir Starmer has made it his key pledge to bin that bill that we brought in to let these people live their lives out in some degree of peace. So if you\u2019re a veteran, I have no idea how you could campaign for or be part \u00adof the Labour Party going into this next election.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Labour spokesman said: \u201cAny legacy legislation must deliver for \u00advictims of the Troubles. The government\u2019s Bill did not pass this test because it failed to engage with those most affected when \u00addrawing it up. Labour will repeal the Legacy Act and find a way forward with support from communities in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver 13 years of failure, Ministers have halved employment support and failed to roll out veterans ID cards.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn government, Labour would deliver a boost to veterans\u2019 mental health services and ensure former \u00adpersonnel have access to high quality, affordable homes fit for heroes.\u201d<\/p>\n