Patrick Mercer resignation: Tory MP 'once said he loathed David Cameron' In 2003, Mr Mercer joined the shadow government under Iain Duncan-Smith. He supported David Davis, rather than David Cameron for the Tory party's 2005 leadership battle. Mr Mercer, 56, was forced to resign from David Cameron's shadow cabinet in 2007. He was accused of saying that racist abuse was a normal part of Army life for ethnic minority soldiers. Then the shadow homeland security spokesman Mr Mercer said he had met "a lot" of "idle and useless" ethnic minority soldiers who used racism as a "cover." He also said that being called a "black bastard" was a normal part of Army life. Some Conservative colleagues felt he had been harshly treated by Mr Cameron, who removed him from the front bench. In 2010, Sarah Coyle, a secretary in the House of Commons claimed she had been involved in a three year affair with Mr Mercer. Mrs Coyle said that she had left her husband after Mr Mercer promised her that he would leave his wife, Caitriona, after the 2010 election. Mr Mercer employs Mrs Mercer as a junior caseworker, in a role that is funded by the taxpayer. Mrs Coyle said she had moved into a flat and bought thousands of pounds worth of furniture. She claimed that Mr Mercer gave her £4,000 in a brown envelope to cover the cost of furnishing the flat. In 2011, it was reported that Mr Mercer had launched into a tirade against the Prime Minister. "He's a most despicable creature without any redeeming features," Mr Mercer said. He called Mr Cameron "an arse," adding: "I loathe him." Asked where Mr Cameron went wrong, Mr Mercer said: "Well, he was born." Last year, Labour MP Thomas Docherty accused Mr Mercer of breaking the parliamentary code of conduct by sponsoring a parliamentary pass for the head of security firm Clearwater. Mr Mercer was reported to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, but the inquiry was dropped. Mr Mercer said that all the payments from security firm Clearwater - amounting to more than £9,000 over a year - were declared in the register of members" interests. He insisted he was being paid for consultancy work rather than for arranging the pass. He also pointed out that none of his consultancy work for Clearwater had been conducted on the parliamentary estate, which would have breached the rules. He has published a non-fiction account of the Inkerman battle during the Crimean War. He has also written a trilogy of novels. After winning Newark from Labour in 2001, Mr Mercer has built Newark into a safe Conservative seat. He regularly comments on defence issues. According to his register of interests, he is a consultant to security companies Red Amber and Olive Group. He also worked for the energy firm Global Energy Private last year, which paid him £2,500 for one and half days of work a month.