‘Bloody Jew’ MP Patrick Mercer to quit

The disgraced MP who had to apologise last year for making comments described as anti-Semitic is resigning his seat ahead of a report recommending he be suspended.

Patrick Mercer, who is the MP for the Nottinghamshire seat of Newark, made a “heartfelt apology” in 2013 and said he would not contest next year’s election after being caught on camera describing a female Israeli soldier as a “bloody Jew”.

However, his earlier exit comes ahead of a report recommending he be suspended before May 2015, paving the way for a by-election in the town.